


Shielding the Soul

by LucindaAM



Series: Shielding The Heart [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst for days, Established Relationship, F/M, JARVIS is a good bro, No Smut, Swearing, There's gonna be sooooo much angst, Tony POV, Tony and Reader have PTSD, fluff too eventually, reader POV, relationship on the rocks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:42:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 28,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24582508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucindaAM/pseuds/LucindaAM
Summary: Eight months ago, aliens ravaged New York and the world has never been the same. More specifically, your and Tony's world has never been the same. Though you know the former playboy loves you, he's been pulling away and spending more and more time locked in his lab, building an army for a threat he won't talk about.You want to help him, but you're haunted by your own demons.With the growing threat of the Mandarin threatening the safety of your world; you may not have the time to coddle Tony back into your arms.Will he figure out what's actually important? Or will he lose you along the way?(Follows the events of Iron Man 3 with MAJOR canon changes due to the new character. Sequel to Shielding the Heart.)
Relationships: Natasha Romanov & Original Female Character, Tony Stark/Reader
Series: Shielding The Heart [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776841
Comments: 92
Kudos: 56





	1. Inner Demons

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to Mrsxfredweasely who has been just so supportive this whole time! Hope you love it!

“Please . . . please don’t do this.” The man begged. 

I eyed him coldly, not a hint of compassion anywhere in me. He was a distraction and all distractions needed to be eliminated. There was a plan in place, one I needed to follow to the letter. I wouldn’t let anyone stop me. My hand raised the gun to his head and without a hint of hesitation, I pulled the trigger. 

His body thumped to the ground, the all-too familiar eagle emblem of SHIELD staring boldly at me from his shoulder. 

With his dying breath rattling in my ears, I turned and moved further down the hallway, hunting my next victims. 

I jolted upright, breathing heavily as my eyes frantically searched the room. Instinctively, my hand reached under my pillow searching for the weapon I always kept there. My panic only seemed to rise as my fingers grasped at nothing. 

“Ma’am.” JARVIS intoned from the ceiling. I jolted at the sound. “Are you okay? Your heart rate is increasing dramatically.” 

“Where’s Tony?” I managed to choke out, abandoning my search for a weapon and fling a hand out to Tony’s side of the bed. It was cold. 

“He’s in the lab. Shall I tell him you require him?” 

I took a few shaky breaths and even managed a light chuckle. Of course. Of course, he was in the lab. Because why wouldn’t he be? 

We were home. 

We were safe. 

Everything was fine. 

“No. No, don’t do that. I know he’s busy.” 

Busy doing what, though, was the problem. Ever since Loki and the Battle of New York, things had been different. 

Tony had been different. 

It didn’t take SHIELD level training to recognize it either. He was spiraling. I knew he was struggling with nightmares and I didn’t know what to do to help him. Not when I was struggling with my own demons. 

“Your heart rate . . . Ma’am . . .” JARVIS reminded me gently. 

I ran a shaking hand through my hair and once again reached under my pillow searching for a weapon. In the back of my mind, I remembered I had stopped sleeping with one. I’d had to after the first night I’d woken from a nightmare only to find myself aiming a gun at Tony’s chest. He’d made the mistake of trying to wake me up and I’d nearly killed him in the process. The small comfort I got from having a weapon nearby wasn’t worth the risk to Tony’s life. 

He’d disagreed after I’d dropped the gun to the bed and started sobbing uncontrollably. He’d gently wrapped me up in his arms and joked that I was the best bodyguard he’d ever had. Besides, he’d said, it was good to have a weapon close in case he started making unconscious advances in his sleep. It was only a matter of time, after all. He just loved me too damn much. 

I’d laughed, but I’d also locked the gun away in the safe hidden in the closet and hadn’t touched the thing since. 

It was a catch twenty-two, that weapon. Though the years of training with firearms made me turn to it instinctively as a means of protection and with an expectation of safety; it also made me remember things I didn’t want to remember. It made me feel like a failure, but every time I held the thing in my hands I couldn’t help but recall, hazily, raising the same gun to my head and cocking it while Loki stood by, forcing my hand. If Tony hadn’t stopped me . . . 

I pushed myself out of the sheets and wrapped my arms around my waist as I paced around the room using a few of the grounding techniques Nat had taught me last time we’d met up. 

It was pointless dwelling on the past. I couldn’t change any of it. And did I really want to? My life was good. I was happy. Tony and I were happy. Together. Away from all that. 

Retired. 

Mostly. 

“Ma’am . . . perhaps I should ask Mr. Stark . . .” 

“No, JARVIS.” I said firmly. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” 

JARVIS was silent for a brief moment. “With all due respect, Ma’am. That’s what you keep saying . . .” 

“And I keep meaning it.” 

“But your elevated stress levels indicate that you’re far from alright.” 

It was my turn to pause for a moment. “I’m . . .” I trailed off and stopped pacing. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes. For a long moment, I stood there quietly, listening to the distant sounds of the waves just outside the window. “I’m working on it.” I finally whispered. 

JARVIS seemed to sigh, and I wasn’t ready to have this conversation again so close to my nightmare, so I cut him off quickly. 

“What time is it anyway?” 

“Nearly Four-Thirty in the morning.” 

I rolled my head for a minute before I started walking towards the bathroom. “Perfect time to get the day started, don’t you think?” 

“Ma’am . . .” 

“Can you leave Happy a message and tell him that I won’t be needing a ride into work today? I’ll just meet him there. Thanks, JARVIS!” I scurried into the bathroom and began stripping. What I needed was a nice, hot shower and a mug-full of coffee that would put even Tony to shame. 

Everything else would work itself out. 

It had to.


	2. Tough Lovin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the original "Shielding the Heart" done; let's finally get fully invested, shall we? ;)

I’d been staring blankly at my computer screen for at least an hour when I heard shouts coming from the hallway. 

“You need a badge!” I heard Happy yell. I laughed as Natasha slipped through the door, waving a plastic rectangle over her head as she shut the door with a click. 

“Morning Natalie.” I said, smiling at her with amusement. “What brings you down to my neck of the woods? Come to beg for your old job back?” 

Nat sent me a small smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I think we’re two Asgardians and an entire space army too late for that, Caroline.” 

My smile slipped slightly. I knew she saw, but luckily, she didn’t call attention to it. 

I gestured towards one of the chairs in front of me. “So, if it’s not with a resume, what brings you over? I didn’t know you were in town. Fury let you out?” 

Nat sat down and watched me in that eerie way of hers that made me want to squirm in my chair. I never got used to that probing gaze of hers. 

For a long minute, she seemed to take everything in, and I knew she was seeing it all. The sleepless nights, the added stress, the sense that I was drowning in this new life I was trying to build for myself. I knew I couldn’t hide it from her, so I didn’t try. I just let her pick apart my every wall, silently, and waited for her to pass judgement. 

“You been following the news?” She finally asked, relaxing further into her seat. 

I raised an eyebrow at her and she gave an imperceptible nod. 

“JARVIS; Black-ops Protocol. Shut down for the next twenty minutes.” 

“Yes Ma’am.” 

I waited a few seconds for click of the locks on the doors and windows and for the usual whir of technology to come to an abrupt stop before I responded. 

“You’re going after the Mandarin.” It wasn’t a question. 

Nat shook her head. “We’re going after the Mandarin.” 

I regarded her for a second. “I’m retired." 

Nat flung one of her legs over the armrest of her chair and settled in. “Are you? Word on the street is that you helped a certain True-Blue-Through-and-Through hero out a couple weeks ago.” 

I sighed. I knew helping Steve was going to bite me in the ass. The man was incapable of keeping secrets. Surprising given his line of work. 

“I let him borrow JARVIS. I don’t think that counts.” 

“We need you on this, Caroline.” 

“That you talking? Or Fury?” 

“A little bit of both. But I don’t think he’s wrong.” 

I spun my chair to the side so I could stare out the window. 

“I don’t think I’m ready, Nat.” 

Nat gracefully pulled herself out of the chair and rounded the desk. She leaned a hip against it and followed my gaze out the window. 

“Is this about Istanbul?” She asked. 

I let out a dark chuckle. “No. But that didn’t help.” 

“So, you froze. It worked out in the end.” 

I spun towards her. “’Cuz you were there, Nat. What happens next time? Huh? I can’t be an Avenger . . . Hell, I can’t even be a SHEILD agent if I’m going to freeze. Freezing gets good people killed!” I was practically yelling by the time I finished, but Nat didn’t so much as blink. 

She just stared at me for another long minute before she bent her head back and gazed at the ceiling, leaning her arms back on my desk. 

“I think that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth and I’ve heard you make plans that rival Clint’s in level of dumbassery.” 

My mouth fell open. 

She turned back to me. “I’m serious, Kotyonok. One subpar mission only a few weeks after what you went through in New York . . . that doesn’t mean you should sideline yourself. You’ve been hiding, Caroline. It’s not healthy.” 

The fight went right out of me at her words because she was right. In the past few months, I’d become a shell of the person that I’d once been. It was almost like having my mind completely taken over had erased my ability to make my own decisions and be my own person. At first, it hadn’t mattered because Tony and I had finally given into this thing that we had and Tony’s confidence and self-assuredness in every situation meant that I hadn’t had to be the person in charge for a little while. I’d taken refuge in his shadow. But recently . . . 

“He’s building suits again.” I whispered. 

“Good.” Nat deadpanned. “Tell him he still owes me one.” 

“I’m being serious, Nat.” 

“So am I.” 

I shot her a look. She sighed. 

“He’s pulling away.” I continued. “He’s scared.” 

“The great Tony Stark? Scared of what?” 

“I think . . . losing me . . . in part anyway.” I thought for a minute. “You know he won’t tell me what he saw when he flew through the portal? Whenever I’ve brought it up, he quickly changes the subject before he practically runs back to the lab. He’s always working on those damn suits. He’s convinced they’re going to save us all.” 

“From what?” 

I shrugged a shoulder. 

Nat sighed and moved to crouch in front of me. She took my hands in hers and peered up at my eyes. 

“You can’t help him fight his demons, Caroline. Not this time. Whatever he saw up there . . . whatever he thinks is coming for you two or for all of us . . . he’ll tell us when he’s ready. He’s a genius, right? He’ll know when he’s outmatched. For now, all you can do is look after yourself.” Nat glanced around the fancy office with a knowing look. “You’ve built yourself an ivory tower, Kotyonok. But you’re not the princess and this isn’t a fairytale. The world has enough women in business suits. It needs more of what you bring to the table.” 

She let go of my hands and pushed herself to her feet. She moved towards the door but before she opened it, she turned back one last time. 

“I’m leaving in three hours. I hope you’ll come with. We really could use you on this.” She took one more step and then called over her shoulder; “Oh. And don’t let Tony know. This mission requires a little more finesse than he’s used to.” 

And just like that, she was gone. The doors shut behind her with a solid click. Around me, the whir of machinery kicked back on. 

“I take it the meeting went well?” JARVIS questioned. 

I dropped my head and let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. 

“Just . . . facing old demons is all.” I whispered. 

“And . . . have you vanquished them?” 

I stared down at my hands. Hands that were stained red with the blood of too many innocents and villains alike. I was no saint and Nat was right. I was no damsel in distress either. 

“Not . . . completely. But they will be.” I said firmly, making a decision. I stood quickly and began throwing stuff in my bag. 

“JARVIS? Reschedule all my appointments. . .” I began as I walked out of the office. Happy was angrily eyeing a man in a very well-tailored suit as I stepped into the hallway. Both stood when they saw me. 

“. . . Actually, JARVIS, if you could just cancel them? I’m not sure how long this engagement will take. Happy! I need a ride home, do you mind?” 

“Of course not, boss.” He moved to the side as I went to pass him. 

The other gentleman quickly stepped into my path and I grumbled internally. 

“Well, now, hold on. Miss Fremont . . . if I could just have a moment of your time.” 

I smiled at him in that placating way that had been drilled into me long before I’d been taken on by SHIELD. “Mr . . .” 

“Killian. Aldrich Killian.” He supplied, sending me a thousand-watt smile that no doubt was the talk of the town wherever he was from. 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Killian. . . I’d give you a moment if I had a moment to give. Unfortunately, something urgent has just come up and I’m in a bit of a rush. If you’d like to talk to Stella over there, she’d be more than happy to make an appointment for you.” 

His smile faltered slightly when I didn’t immediately swoon into his arms, but he nodded quickly. “Of course. Maybe over dinner? Sometime this week?” 

I did my best not to grimace. 

“I’ll do my best to make it.” I said. Aldrich reached down and took my hand, although I hadn’t offered, and kissed my knuckles before sauntering off to talk to Stella. 

As soon as his back was turned, I wiped my hand on my skirt and turned to Happy. He looked about as thrilled with the encounter as I was. 

“Home?” I asked, practically begging. 

“Right. Of course. Let’s go.” Happy turned and led me out of the office and towards his car. 

I let a relieved breath out as soon as we pulled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why hellooooooo there Nat, someone from SHIELD a secret organization that most DEFINITELY would have been involved in the Mandarin case from the beginning. 
> 
> Its always bugged me that Tony was on his own, start to finish in the movie because he, at one point, even digs through SHIELD files to see what they have on the terrorist. So they're INVOLVED with Mandarin. But he gives his address to the guy and Fury doesn't send Clint and Nat to drag him kicking and screaming to a safehouse? I don't THINK so.
> 
> Also, you gotta love Nat. Providing tough love since 2010.


	3. Pent-Up Frustrations

I stepped into the house and started pulling my hair up into a ponytail. I’d texted Nat on the car ride over and she had sent me the coordinates to the quinjet. I had just enough time to catch a shower and pack before I had to meet her. 

My guess was that Tony wouldn’t even notice I was home. 

He’d been doing a lot of that lately. 

For once it would work to my advantage. 

I took a step towards the stairs. 

“You’re home early.” 

I froze. 

I turned around and saw a suit of metal sitting on the couch in the living room. 

“Geez, Tony. You’re wearing them for fun now?” I squinted at it. “Is this a new one? What are you up to now? Fifteen?” 

I knew that the actual number was a lot higher than that. I’d spent more than a couple of nights lounging in the rafters of the lab, desperate to be close to him yet feeling him slipping further away. 

“Uh . . . yeah. Something like that.” He stood from the couch and moved closer to me. “You know everyone needs a hobby.” I laughed and danced away as he reached for me. I squinted at the suit again as he followed me . . . a fraction of a second too late. 

“Tony . . .” I started. 

“Honey . . .” He parroted. 

I sidestepped him as he reached for me again and again, he moved just a split second too late almost like . . . almost like the suit was running on a delay. Like it was being piloted remotely. 

I could have sworn I felt my heart crack a little. 

Desperate to disprove my theory. I reached my hands around my back and fiddled with my watch, pushing the sequence that would make me virtually invisible to bugs, cameras and radio waves. I pulled a comm out of my bag and set it on the table in front of the suit and moved to the other side of the room. 

“What are you really up to, Tony?” I asked quietly, speaking into a receiver. Across the room, the comm spoke up and the suits eyes didn't leave the spot. Didn’t follow my trek across the room, just stayed glued to where’d I’d been when I’d ghosted. 

My heart shattered. My shoulders drooped and I moved back towards the stairs. Eight months ago, Tony had given me his heart and I thought it would be mine forever. But maybe they were right. Maybe love was for children. 

I let out one last breath as Tony rumbled on about testing out flexibility and range of motion in the new suit and then I squared my shoulders and climbed the stairs. 

It was time to go back to work. 

Tony---------------- 

She sidestepped me again and was staring up at the suit like I was a puzzle she was trying to figure out. Both of her hands reached behind her back and in the next second, she disappeared. 

My heart pounded in my chest, but I didn’t dare look away. The suit must be glitching. I’d have to work on that. But I couldn’t let her know that I wasn’t actually up there. Somehow, I just knew it would destroy her. 

Our relationship had been on shaky ground lately. I could practically feel her slipping through my fingers. But I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop this NEED to protect her. To protect myself. The few times she’d managed to get me to sleep more than a few hours in a row, I’d woken up in a cold sweat, dreaming about space and the monsters that existed out there. We were a far more insignificant speck than I’d ever realized before, and I NEEDED to be able to protect us from the big threats. The Avengers were all well and good, but we couldn’t protect the world from everything. And I’d be damned if I had to watch her nearly die in front of me again. 

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her pointing that gun at her own head, ready to blow her own damn brains out. I hadn’t been able to stop it then. I wouldn’t be able to stop it if it happened again. So, I started building my own army. One that could fight anything that we could possibly run into because only then would we be safe. Only then would SHE be safe. 

“What are you really up to, Tony?” She asked. Her voice sounded heartbroken and defeated and it caused my own heart to skip a beat. 

I tried to lighten the mood by, well, lightening the mood. “I gotta test out the new suits somehow, don’t I? Figured I could join you this evening for your nightly yoga. Maybe get some calisthenics in. I’m not so sure about the range of motion on this one. The new suit-up protocols need some work still. They make things too loose; I think. Maybe we should get you one.” 

I tapped on the keyboard in front of me, pulling up the coding in the suits visor, looking for the bug so I could get her back in my sights. I was suddenly overcome with a need to SEE her. Doing a few quick calculations, I realized this was the longest conversation we’d had in what? Six weeks? Maybe more? Where had the time gone? 

I suddenly had a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I flew through the codes. 

“Honey? You okay?” I asked. 

The code was fine. She should be on screen. Unless . . . unless . . . 

I suddenly remembered the watch she’d had me design her a few weeks after New York. She’d been assigned a mission by Fury and was going deep undercover with Romanov. She said she needed something that could get her past anything electronic. Make her invisible to all but the human eye. 

“JARVIS? Where’s Caroline?” I called out suddenly, my hands forming fists on the desk. My heartrate spiked into overdrive as I waited for his answer. Which was taking too damn long . . . 

“I don’t think this is working.” Caroline’s voice suddenly picked up and I raised my eyes to the screens. 

I swear, I felt my heart stop altogether. 

Caroline was standing in front of the suit in a standard-issue bodysuit I knew all too well. One that she’d promised she’d never pull out again. One that I thought I’d hidden well out of reach, terrified of what would happen to her the next time Fury pulled her away. 

A duffle bag was slung across her body, hanging down and brushing against her thigh holster that had her gun in it. The one she hadn’t used in months. The one I had hoped she’d never wanted to touch again. 

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest and smiled sadly. She continued when I didn’t say anything . . . when I COULDN’T say anything because this COULDN’T be happening. 

“We’ve both been dancing around it for a while now, Tony. Ever since New York, really.” She reached up a hand and brush a tear away. It broke me. 

I raced for the stairwell but her next words stopped me in my tracks. 

“We’re broken Tony. You and me. You . . . you went through that portal and you came out a different man.” 

I closed my eyes tight and hung my head. 

“And you won’t talk to me about it . . . you won’t talk to anyone about it. But . . . but who am I to judge?” 

My head shot up and I swung around to look at the screens again. 

She took a deep breath and glanced away from me. “I killed people; you know. When Loki had me? I pulled the trigger on people I knew. People I cared about. Friends.” Her eyes swung back to mine and they looked so tortured I nearly fell to my knees. 

Eight months of living side by side with this beautiful, amazing woman and I had never once dared to ask what she remembered. I was too wrapped up in my own world. It was always my own world. 

Caroline let out a bitter laugh. “I love you, Tony. I have for so long and I think I always will. But I don’t think I fit in your world anymore.” 

I was shaking my head vehemently without even realizing it. Of course, she belonged in my world. Hell . . . she WAS my world. 

“. . . Or at least, I don’t fit in your world right now. I know whatever you saw scared you. I know you need to build this . . . this . . . army to protect yourself and I hope you find what you’re looking for.” She adjusted the strap of her bag. “But I can’t be here while you’re looking for it.” 

“Caroline . . .” I managed to choke out. 

She shook her head. “I need . . . time. And I think you do too. So . . . I’m going to leave.” She gestured with her thumb towards the front door. 

I moved the suit forward, crowding into her space and reaching out the grab her shoulders. If I could just . . . but I wasn’t . . . 

She sidestepped me and pulled something out of one of the pockets in her SHIELD uniform. She opened the hand of the suit and put it there before wrapping the suits fingers around it. 

“I love you Tony. Don’t forget that.” She whispered. 

It felt like a goodbye. 

“Wait!” I called, turning away from the screens and rushing up the stairs. 

By the time I got there, the suit was alone in the living room and the front door was wide open. 

She was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst. Aaaaaaaaangst. 
> 
> Sing along with me!


	4. The Chinese Theatre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

Happy came and got me. He didn’t say anything as he picked me up and drove me downtown, but I knew he was thinking it. Caroline had been the best thing to ever happen to me. And I’d completely screwed it up. 

She’d said she loved me. That she just needed time. She’d implied that she would come back . . . eventually. But I liked to think I wasn’t stupid. She’d been wearing her damn SHIELD uniform when she left. I’d been so caught up in my own shit that I’d entirely missed hers. I literally sent her running back into the arms of her ex. And Fury was an abusive bastard. He’d send her right into the thick of things. He wouldn’t care if she got hurt . . . or if she died . . . 

“Pull over!” I called out to Happy, breathing heavily. 

He immediately swerved to the curb, earning a few honks from the few other cars on the road. I barely paid them any notice as I stumbled from the car. Happy was by my side in the next instant, asking what was wrong. I leaned against the car and tried to keep my cool. 

She was who knew where and I wasn’t there to watch her six. This was just like New York all over again. Me here and her in the wind and I had no way to find her or to help her. 

My hands dug into my pocket to find the note and the tracking device she’d left in the hand of the suit. I’d planted the tracker on her after the first mission she’d gone on after New York. She’d gone to Istanbul and nearly hadn’t made it back. It was the first time I’d spiraled, and I’d realized I couldn’t live in a world that didn’t have her in it. She made my world brighter. Kept me grounded. So, I’d bugged her. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that she’d found it. 

I put the tracker back in my pocket and pulled out the note. I ran my fingers over the letters as I read them. I already had them memorized. ‘Maybe next time we see each other, you won’t be in the lab, and I won’t be looking at a suit. Come back to me, Tony. I love you.’ 

She’d wanted me out of the lab? I could be out of the lab. 

Or at least I could try. 

My breathing finally calmed as I rubbed my thumb over the slip of paper. Happy’s voice slowly came into focus. 

“. . . So, then Stella says they’ve had an increase in staff complaints of 300% which, you know, is a huge compliment because it clearly means I’m doing my job . . .” 

I smiled briefly as I let his ramblings wash over me. It was a trick we’d picked up the few times I had gone into public. Even before everything with the Avengers; Asgard knew I had more than enough locked up to give an entire city emotional scarring for the rest of their lives. 

“Yeah. Seems like the people complaining might be hiding something.” I said. 

Happy lit up. “Exactly! That’s what I’m saying!” Happy’s eyes slid away from me and started tracking something just over my shoulder. 

“Hold up, boss. I know that guy.” 

I glanced over my shoulder and saw a shifty looking guy in a suit moving through the crowds. “Old buddy of yours?” He didn’t seem like the type Happy would be hanging around. In fact, thinking about it, Happy didn’t really seem like the type to have many friends . . . outside me and Caroline that was. 

“Nah . . . he was . . . he came to the office today. His boss, Killian, wanted to meet with Caroline. They were in the hall waiting with me, but Caroline had that meeting with that Black Widow woman and suddenly cancelled all her appointments . . .” 

“Hold up. Romanov was here? Tell me you listened in on that conversation.” Nat had dragged Caroline away? I was going to KILL her. 

“. . . Seemed real shifty to me, boss. And then this Killian guy tried to put the moves on your girl, but she shut him down REAL fast. Excuse me.” Happy brushed past my shoulder and tried to sneak his way past the crowds. He went to a sunglasses kiosk where he could easily keep an eye on the man. I ignored him as my mind processed what he’d said. 

Caroline and I had been drifting apart for a little while now. And only NOW she leaves? Right after having a heart to heart with Nat? I didn’t buy it. 

My heart rate increased. No, Nat came to recruit her specifically for a mission. One they didn’t want me involved with. 

Not if I had anything to say about it. 

Anything that involved Caroline involved me. Simple as that. 

I dug into my jacket pocket and pulled out my phone. I threw open a few hacking windows and started digging into SHIELD’s database. 

The sounds of a fight snapped my attention up. I glanced up just in time to see Happy being thrown through the air like he weighed nothing. I reached up and tapped my ear. “JARVIS! I need a suit!” 

“Five minutes, sir.” 

“Make it two!” 

All at once an explosion ripped through the courtyard, sending flames skyrocketing into the night air. 

I was thrown against the car, the windows shattering. It took a few minutes before I was oriented enough to register what had just happened. 

I shook my head as the flames died down, trying to clear it. “Happy!” I yelled, surging into the destruction. “Happy!” 

I heard and groan and raced through the smoke to find it. Happy was lying on his side, reaching for something. Burns and cuts littered his body. I fell to my knees next to him. 

“Come on, Happy, stay with me.” 

I heard a bang behind me, and I scrambled around, heart pounding. I sighed in relief as I saw my suit open up. I flung myself to into and gently knelt and picked up Happy. 

“Hospital, JARVIS. Now.” 

It took six hours before they’d let me see him. They said he’d sustained massive internal damage. They wouldn’t say more than that. 

While Happy was in the operating room, I sat outside, head in my hands. More than once, I pulled out my phone, ready to call Caroline and beg her to come back. I needed her here. With me. I needed help. 

After three hours of no word and with no one left to bully for information, I couldn’t stop myself from calling her. 

I wasn’t surprised but I was more than a little disappointed when her voicemail answered instead. “Hi. You’ve reached Caroline Fremont. Mr. Stark’s Personal Assistant. I can’t pick up the phone right now. If you have urgent business, please send an email as soon as possible. Otherwise, leave your name, number and reason for calling and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. If you are a reporter, please note that we are not taking requests for interviews at this time. Thank you!” 

The beep sounded. 

I rubbed my forehead. “Hi, Honey. It’s me.” I took a deep breath and stared at the floor. “You’re probably screening my calls and . . . I get it. I hear you. I’m . . . I’m a piping hot mess. It’s been going on for a while and I just didn’t know how to tell you. I guess, in the end, you figured it out for yourself. And I’m sorry, Honey. I’m so sorry I didn’t see it sooner. Didn’t see that you were struggling too.” 

I pushed myself to my feet and started pacing a hole into the hospital floor again. “I don’t know where you’ve run off to. Happy said that Nat paid you a visit today . . . or maybe it was yesterday now. I imagine that you’ve run off to save the world again and . . . I wish . . .” I sighed. “. . . I wish that I could be there doing it with you, you know? I’ve been spending the past few months building suits for every occasion because I just . . . I need to protect my world. And in case you didn’t know . . . that’s you, Honey. You’re it. You’re my world and the thought of something happening to you . . . I can’t . . .” I trailed off and stared out the window. It was still dark, but I could see cars moving in the distance. 

“I still see it . . . in my nightmares. You raising the gun to your head when Reindeer Games had you. I almost didn’t get there in time. It’s why I haven’t been sleeping. Well that and . . . I saw things when I went through the portal. You were right. You’ve been right this whole time and I . . . I want to talk to you about them, but to do that, I need you to come back. Please.” 

I trailed off again. 

“Just please come back. I love you.” I whispered before ending the call. 

I stared at my phone for a long while before I turned back to the waiting room. For another hour, I sat in the empty room, TV playing in the background, lost in a sea of thoughts that didn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason. Caroline was gone. Happy was hurt. I hadn’t been able to do anything. 

The three thoughts seemed to chase each other, drowning out anything else and then the TV flickered. 

My eyes were drawn to it in confusion before something else flickered on screen. 

“True story about fortune cookies . . .” 

I watched in anger as the Mandarin monologed for a solid three minutes, bragging about the damage he’d just caused. Taking CREDIT for Happy’s injuries. For the pain and suffering. For all the deaths. 

“. . . The big one is coming Mr. President . . . your graduation.” The man shot a bullet through a poster of President Ellis and the screen cut back to the generic soap opera that had been playing before. 

My hands curled into fists on my knees and my leg started bouncing. 

“Mr. Stark?” A nurse called out. I glanced up sharply. 

She seemed to take a step back after seeing something in my expression, but she quickly steeled herself again. “You can see him now.” 

I rose quickly and followed her through the hallways. I stopped when we got to the doorway of Happy’s room. She moved in and started fiddling with his IV’s. I just took him in. He looked like hell. There were so many tubes and wires he almost looked like one of my suits in the early days of construction. 

I moved to sit in a chair near his bed. The nurse finished what she was doing and moved to turn off the TV but I held up a hand. 

“Uh . . . you mind leaving that on?” I glanced at the TV. “Sunday nights. PBS. Downton Abbey. That’s his show. He thinks its elegant.” 

I stood up quickly, unable to stay here. I needed to DO something. I needed to WORK. I moved to the door. 

“One more thing; make sure everyone’s wearing their badges. He’s a stickler for that sort of thing. Plus, my guys won’t let them in without them.” 

The nurse nodded but I was already out the door. I patted the shoulders of the two beefy security guards who worked under Happy at the office and I headed for the entrance to the hospital. I pulled my sunglasses on, unsurprised to see the slew of reporters and paparazzi swarming the doors. They didn’t scare me. I just had to get to the suit and get home. Easy. 

I pushed into the fray. 

“Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark! Right here!” Dozens of voices called. I shouldered past them. I’d almost made it to the suit when a single voice cut through the rest. 

“Hey Mr. Stark! When is someone going to kill this guy?” 

I froze and turned slowly. The man had a cellphone in his hands pressed almost right up against my face. He smiled cockily and shrugged a shoulder. “I’m just saying.” 

“Is that what you want?” He seemed to nod, and I made a decision. “Here’s a little holiday greeting for the Mandarin.” I made sure to glance around at all the cameras. “My name is Tony Stark and I’m not afraid of you. So, I’ve decided . . .” I whipped my sunglasses off my face. “You just died pal. There’s no politics here. Just good ol’ fashioned revenge. I’m gonna come get the body. In the off chance that you’re a man; here’s my address so you can come to me. 10880 Malibu Point. 90265. I’ll leave the front door unlocked.” 

I spun around and climbed into the suit, blasting out of the sea of reporters. I had work to do. 

You------------------ 

“Caroline . . . I think you should take a look at this.” Nat called from the cockpit. I climbed into the copilot's seat and she threw something up on screen. 

Tony had small cuts littering his face and was standing outside a hospital. The newsreel at the bottom of the screen said he’d been at the scene of a Mandarin attack. Happy . . . Happy had been hurt. 

“Oh no.” I whispered. Nat shot me a grimace. 

“. . . here’s my address so you can come to me. 10880 Malibu Point. 90265. I’ll leave the front door unlocked.” 

Tony climbed into his suit and blasted off. 

For a moment, I sat in stunned silence. Nat sighed and made a sharp turn, heading us back towards California. 

“We’re not going to Europe anymore?” I asked, strapping in and flicking a few switches. 

“After that little display? I don’t think we need to chase leads anymore, Kotyonok. The Mandarin will be coming right to your little genius.” 

I hardened my heart but nodded. Oh, Tony . . . what have you done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh-ho-ho no.


	5. The Same Ol' Conversations . . .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

“I’ve compiled a database for you, sir. Drawn from SHIELD, FBI and CIA intercepts.” JARVIS said. 

I flung the information out, filling the lab with it. My eyes scanned everything, looking for patterns and weaknesses. 

“Put together a reconstruction of the crime scene, would you?” I asked. 

I started flicking through what little the top dogs in government espionage had managed to put together on our reigning terrorist. I murmured to myself as I swept through the files. “Lots of pageantry here. Lots of theater. Reminds of me of Loki if I’m being honest.” I rubbed a hand over my face. I snapped my hands together and the files disappeared, leaving me with a reconstruction like I’d asked. 

“The heat from the blast was an excessive 3000 degrees Celsius.” JARVIS began. “Any subjects within 12.5 yards were vaporized instantly.” 

That didn’t make any sense . . . “No bomb parts found within three miles of the Chinese Theatre, right?” 

“No sir.” 

I grunted and examined the floor more closely. “Talk to me, Happy.” I whispered. 

Happy’s holographic body slowly compiled and once again I saw his figure reaching for something. JARVIS ran a quick scan and did the math, pointing at the object that Happy must have been focused on. I moved through the projections quickly and pulled up the one hologram that Happy seemed to be looking at. 

“When is a bomb not a bomb?” I asked the air. Nothing responded, but I didn’t really need an answer. 

I threw up the evidence. It was a pair of burnt dog tags. “Any military victims?” I asked. 

“Not according to public record, sir.” 

I thought about it for a moment. This was bigger than just some suicide bomber. I was missing something. “Bring up the thermogenic signatures again.” I said climbing up on one of my selves. 

JARVIS zoomed out until the entire country was illuminated on the floor of the lab. Every high heat, high yield bombing event was marked, and various numbers and stats appeared above them. 

“The Oracle cloud has completed the analysis.” 

“Take away every Mandarin attack.” 

Most of the stats disappeared. Only a handful remained. I focused in on a few, quickly dismissing them from mind. They hadn’t gotten hot enough. 

Finally, I landed on one. Rose Hill, Tennesse. 3000 degrees Celsisus and a military man to boot. Too many coincidences. 

“That one.” I pointed. 

JARVIS spoke up. “The incident was ruled use of a bomb to assist suicide.” He said. 

“Ever been to Tennesse, JARVIS?” I asked. 

“Creating a flight plan, sir.” He responded. 

I nodded once. This was my element. This is what I was made for. I was finally, FINALLY doing something to help. 

I flung out my hands and the lab went dark right as a heavy thud sounded above me. I threw a hand to the side and pulled up the security cams on screen. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw Romanov standing in the living room. 

“I don’t THINK so.” I muttered darkly. 

I grabbed a spare gauntlet off my workbench and snuck up the stairs. Russian-Red had her back to me, examining something on the floor. “You should know better than to sneak up on a spy, Tony.” She sassed without turning around. 

I fired up the gauntlet and pointed it at her back. “And you should know better than to sneak in uninvited. I was waiting for someone.” 

Romanov turned around as another heavy thud sounded behind me. I spun around to see several packed bags lying at my feet. I glanced up and my heart skipped a beat. 

“Caroline.” I whispered. 

She folded her arms across her chest. “We know about your little invitation, you dumbass. It’s why we’re here. Now grab the bags. We’re leaving.” 

She spun around and disappeared from view. I stared after her for a moment, ready to run up the stairs when the spy touched my arm. 

I shook her off and took a few steps back. “I have nothing to say to you, homewrecker.” I grumbled, pointing at her angrily. 

She rolled her eyes. “You’re lucky to have a home left to wreck, Tony.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

Romanov opened her mouth to respond when Caroline suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She had another bag slung over her back. She shot both of us a look before she bent down and grabbed the bags she’d tossed to the floor. She handed one to Nat and shoved the other in my arms. 

“Tony, let’s go. JARVIS, send a mobile lab to the SHIELD . . .” 

“Yeah, no. Belay that order!” I cut her off. “I’m staying here.” I turned to her. I dropped the bag to the floor and gently reached out to grab her shoulders. She was real. She’d come back. “You came back.” 

“Yeah. So I could haul you off to SHIELD headquarters. What the hell were you thinking Tony?!” She demanded. “You threatened a terrorist and then you went and GAVE HIM OUR HOME ADDRESS?!” 

I couldn’t help but pull her in tightly for a hug. “In my defense, Honey, you left and I . . . panicked.” 

She pulled away from me then, taking a few steps back. I didn’t like the look on her face. 

“I don’t think you understand the danger you’re in, Stark.” Romanov cut in. I tore my eyes off of Caroline’s face. 

“What . . . and you do?” I asked. She crossed her arms over her chest and sent me a look that made my face pale. A look that said I called it closer than she’d like to admit. 

The pieces quickly fell together. It was all too coincidental for my taste. I flung a finger in her direction before I swiveled back to Caroline. “You were going after him. Weren’t you?” 

“Tony . . .” Caroline started. 

“NO!” My yell surprised even myself. I took a few deep breaths and let my gauntlet covered hand fall limply to my side. When I had managed to calm down, I glanced at her again. “Things had gotten so bad you’d rather go and get yourself killed than stay here?” I asked. 

She shook her head. “Tony . . . of course not . . . I was going to come back.” 

“After what?! After you’d defeated the Mandarin? You know he almost killed Happy last night? And where were you?” 

“That’s NOT fair.” Caroline yelled, her face twisting in pain. I felt bad for a split second. She’d cared about him too. 

Nat jumped between the two of us, the bag I’d dropped in her hands now. “We don’t have time for this right now. In case you’ve both forgotten, Tony painted a big red X on the house, and we’ve got to get out of here before the Mandarin arrives.” 

Caroline leveled a look my way that was filled with so much heartache I forgot how to breath, but she nodded at the Russian and moved to follow her towards the front doors. 

They’d hardly taken a few steps when the doorbell rang out. 

Within seconds, each of them had dropped their cargos and had run for cover, guns drawn. 

“Security breech!” I sighed. “We’re still at ding-dong? JARVIS, we’re supposed to be on lockdown.” 

“There’s only so much I can do when you’ve given the world your address, sir.” 

A woman entered the house, hardly noticing the two assassins lurking in the corners. “You’re not the Mandarin.” I noted. Then again . . . “Are you?” 

She smiled but it didn’t seem particularly friendly. “You don’t remember me.” She noted. 

“Don’t take it personally.” I responded. “I don’t remember what I had for breakfast.” 

“Gluten-free waffles, sir.” JARVIS responded. 

“That’s right.” I nodded. I took an almost unconscious step in front of Caroline, blocking the two women from each other's view. It was true, I didn’t remember her. But I’d seen that look before. Spend enough time as a playboy and you get very familiar with the look of shame and regret that came from the morning after. I almost couldn’t understand how my relationship with Caroline had come to falling apart like it was but I sure as hell wasn’t going to add any more gasoline to the pyre. 

“Okay, look, I need to be alone with you somewhere . . . not here . . . it’s urgent.” 

Couldn’t stop Caroline from listening though, damn it. “Normally I’d go for that sort of thing, but right now I’m in a committed relationship.” I turned slightly and sent a look Caroline’s direction. I quirked an eyebrow in her direction as if to ask; ‘We are still in a relationship, right?’ 

She didn’t spare me a glance as her eyes scanned this mysterious one-night-stand from head to toe. 

Our newcomer followed my train of sight and her eyes widened to see Caroline standing in a battle-pose with her gun drawn. 

“It’s actually with her.” I said, gesturing towards Caroline and turning back to face the woman who was slowly coming back to mind. “Caroline, Maya Hansen. Maya Hansen, Caroline. Maya is an old botanist pal.” I said, moving to pour myself a drink. 

This was not how I’d envisioned today going. 

“Do you mind . . . putting that thing away.” Maya asked after a moment, gesturing at the gun. Caroline’s eyes darted past Maya’s shoulder and I glanced in the same direction to see Nat nodding and training a gun on the woman’s back. I rolled my eyes. 

Caroline holstered her weapon and folded her arms. “What’s going on?” She asked. 

Maya turned to me. “I need your help.” She glanced at Caroline. “Both of you, I suppose.” 

“What for? Why now?” I asked, getting straight to the point. Something smelled fishy to me. 

“Because I’ve read the papers and frankly, I don’t think you’ll last the week.” 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to say.” Caroline said, shooting me another look. 

“I’ll be fine.” I said firmly, looking at both of them. I sent a pleading look Caroline’s way. I couldn’t leave. Not yet. It wasn’t in my nature to run. Besides, the house was a fortress. I’d been prepping for months for something to come for the both of us. True, I hadn’t expected to invite it to my own front door, but I couldn’t regret what I’d done. The man had gone after Happy. 

“Nope. We’re going out of town. Let’s go.” Caroline said, gesturing towards the door. 

“Great idea.” Maya agreed, quickly hopping on board. She turned to follow Caroline. 

“No! I’m not leaving!” I said, putting my foot down. I could feel my world starting to tear itself in two. Caroline and I were hanging on by barely a thread and I was afraid if I pushed her too far, I wouldn’t be able to get her back. 

But I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t protect her out there. I could only do that here. Surrounded by my suits and security protocols. 

Maya sighed and turned to look out the window as I reached over and snagged Caroline's arm, dragging her closer to me. 

“I can’t leave, Honey. Please. You gotta trust that I know what I’m doing.” 

“Do you?” She asked. “Do you really? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? You’re not sleeping Tony. You’re not eating. You’ve lost weight.” 

“I’m fine.” 

“You’re not.” 

“Guys . . .” Maya started. 

“I don’t think you’re one to talk, Honey.” My blood was starting to boil. If she’d just LISTEN to me. “Don’t think for a second that I haven’t noticed your issues. Sure, I hadn’t realized how bad they’d gotten, I’ll give you that one. But I’m still surprised to see you holding a gun right now. Last time you picked that thing up I almost found myself with another hole in my chest!” 

“Um . . . guys?!” Maya asked again. I ignored her. 

Caroline looked like I had slapped her, and I immediately recognized that I had crossed a line. I opened my mouth to apologize when Romanov stepped out of nowhere and grabbed Maya’s arm. 

“We gotta go!” She shouted, sprinting for the door and dragging the surprised botanist behind her. 

Caroline and I both spun around in time to see a missile heading straight for us. We took maybe two steps when all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Things are certainly happening.
> 
> No updates this weekend, guys. But I'll see you again Monday.


	6. Change of Plans

The explosion sent us flying backwards. Time seemed to freeze as I flailed in the air, waiting for impact. 

Right before I slammed into the wall, the blue light of an Iron Man visor lit up my vision. 

“Ma’am.” JARVIS’ voice echoed in my ear. 

“Where’s Tony?” I demanded. 

“On your left.” I spun around to see a dazed Tony lying on the floor staring up at the crumbling ceiling. I launched myself forward just as the ceiling caved in. “I gotcha.” I said as the visor slid up. 

Tony sent me a relieved smile. “I got you first.” He said. For a second it was just the two of us, just like old times and then the ground rumbled beneath us. “Like I said, we can’t stay here.” Tony said, scrambling to his feet. I grit my teeth. 

“JARVIS. Get me a suit.” Tony ordered, tapping on his earpiece. 

“Where are Nat and Maya?” I asked, glancing around the rubble. 

“They managed to get out just in time.” JARVIS responded, sliding my visor back down and displaying an image of two very ruffled women out on the lawn. Nat was already on the phone ordering backup. Maya was staring into the wreckage of the house as though debating the wisdom of going back in. Nat seemed to sense the same thing because she reached out a hand and grabbed Maya’s shoulder, keeping her rooted to the spot. 

The sound of several more incoming missiles whizzed in the air around us. Tony had just managed to seal his suit shut when several more explosions detonated, knocking us both to the ground. 

“Go! I’m right behind you!” Tony yelled, his bloodied face appearing on screen in the corner of my visor. I tried to move but one of the legs of my suit refused to budge. 

“JARVIS, can it fly?” I asked desperately, reaching down to yank on the frozen metal. 

“The suit is just a prototype, ma’am and I’m afraid it’s been damaged. Thrusters won’t fire.” 

“Honey!” Tony yelled. 

I glanced up and saw him pushing through the rubble and wreckage to try to get to me. Behind him, I could see more missiles. “Incoming!” I yelled. 

He turned just in time to get blasted across the room and out the glass doors of the house, leaving me very much alone. The house started titling dangerously to one side and I watched in alarm as the horizon slipped away and I saw nothing but ocean below me. 

“JARVIS?!” I called desperately. “Can these things swim?” 

I reached up and slammed my hand into the concrete, trying to stop my slide into the abyss. I tried to throw my weight around, doing my best to twist my hips hard enough to slam the frozen leg piece into the concrete, trying to jumpstart the pieces so I could try climbing out. 

“I’m afraid this particular suit is not yet watertight, ma’am.” 

“Honey!?” Tony’s voice called again, his desperate expression appearing on my screen again. 

I let out a watery chuckle. “You need to get Nat and Maya and get them to safety.” I ordered, doing my best not to think about the way this was quickly going. 

“No! I’m coming. Just give me a second.” 

I felt the floor I was clinging to start sliding downwards. We were out of time. 

“Remember when I told you that you needed to leave the lab more often?” I asked, joking to lighten the mood. 

“Honey . . .” 

“I don’t think this is what I had in mind.” I slab of concrete slipped entirely away from the rest of the mountain and I closed my eyes, waiting for impact. “I love you Tony.” 

Tony--------------- 

“Nooo!” I screamed as her suit's readouts went blank on my screen. “JARVIS, what the hell just happened?!” 

I pushed through the debris in the house only to find half of the house entirely gone. Bullets rained down on me, but I hardly paid them any attention as I peered off the edge of the cliff and into the bubbling waters below. “Please don’t tell me she’s in there.” 

“She fell out of the house, sir; I can’t detect her life signs.” 

“No!” Without thought I dove into the water below. 

“Sir . . . her suit . . .” 

“It was just a prototype . . . I didn’t have a chance to make it watertight yet. I know. Scan the area, JARVIS.” 

I desperately spun in the water, trying to predict her trajectory and desperately looking for the tell-tale glow that came from the arc reactors. Huge pieces of concrete rained around me, making it nearly impossible to spot her. Dirt slid from the cliff face, muddying the water around me. 

“Anything, JARVIS???” I was growing more frantic by the moment. 

“I’ve located a faint heat signature, sir.” JARVIS threw something up on my screen. 

I dove towards it without another thought. I dodged pieces of suits that had been completely torn apart and cars as they continued pummeling the water. It didn’t matter anymore. None of it mattered. 

Despite the murky water, I kept my eyes focused on the faint signature on my screen. Just as I was reaching out to grab it, something collided with my helmet, shocking a grunt out of me and pushing me down. 

I wrapped my hands around a slab of concrete, and I fired my repulsors into it, demolishing it further. 

“Sir, your vitals . . . I think you may have a concussion.” 

“Where’d the signature go, JARVIS?” I demanded, ignoring him. 

“It’s growing weaker by the second.” He responded, pulling it up on screen again. 

I shook my head trying to clear it and dove towards it. 

My hands gripped something, and the light of my arc reactor finally revealed Caroline’s suited form lying on the bottom of the ocean. “Caroline? Caroline! Talk to me!” I pulled on her hand, but she didn’t budge. 

“The suits communication relays have been damaged.” JARVIS responded. 

My hands frantically dug around her, looking for whatever it was that was keeping her tied to the ground. A piece of rebar seemed to have wrapped around her neck, pinning her to the slab she was tied to. I viciously yanked it away. 

“Sir, incoming.” JARVIS warned. 

I glanced up to see the rest of the house sinking fast. “I have to get you out of here.” I murmured. 

I grabbed her arm and yanked her with me as I shot forward. She swung limply behind me and I prayed to whatever was still listening that I hadn’t been too late. That she was still with me. 

I could hardly think, surrounded by the destruction that had been my home, with the unconscious, maybe dead body of the woman I loved trailing behind me. If I hadn’t been so focused on the suits. If I hadn’t been so caught up in my own issues . . . 

The last words I’d said to her had been aimed to hurt her . . . I . . . I had to get her out of here. I couldn’t let that be the last thing she had of me. I owed her more than that. 

“JARVIS? Get us out!” 

“Hold on, sir.” 

I reached back and pulled Caroline’s suited body to my chest. I wrapped an arm around her and aimed the rest of my limbs down, shooting into the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So. You may have noticed some massive canon changes. Like for example - Tony doesn't wait for Caroline to get out of the house before calling the suit back to him because he literally has an entire army of suits to pull from.
> 
> Also - looks like Caroline's following him to Rose Hill which is HUGE cuz in the movies Tony is very, very much alone when he gets there.
> 
> But doesn't it make more sense this way? 
> 
> Caroline is a badass SHIELD agent. Of course, she'd jump into the fray. The real question, is how dramatically is this going to shift what's coming?
> 
> Comments or suggestions always appreciated!


	7. Rose Hill, Tennesse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

“Sir? Sir!” A mixture of JARVIS annoying me, and the sound of an alarm jolted me to consciousness. 

“Alright. Kill the alarm. I got it.” I grumbled, waking up. I started blankly at the screens in front of me. My suit? When had I gotten in a suit? 

“That’s an emergency alert triggered by Caroline’s vitals. I managed to get her screen readings back online. You need to land. Now. She needs more help than I can provide.” 

Panic shot adrenaline straight through my heart as I finally took in the readings on the screen. She wasn’t breathing. 

I glanced around us, desperately, but there was nothing for miles and I didn’t have time to look for something better. I found a relatively small clearing and dropped, still holding her close to me. 

The second our feet touched down, I laid her on the ground and started manually ripping apart the suit. The chest piece crumbled in my hands and water gushed out of it. 

“No, no, no.” I murmured. 

I pulled off her visor and saw her face for the first time since this whole thing started. Her lips were nearly blue, and she looked so still. 

“No!” I shouted, forcing my own suit off. 

I ignored the bite of cold as I kneeled in the slushy snow and started pumping her chest. “Talk to me, JARVIS!” I ordered, counting each chest compression until I got to thirty. 

I pulled away pinched her nose and puffed twice. Then I went back to pumping her chest. 

“She has a heartbeat, sir. Weak but there. I suspect she must have inhaled water.” 

“Come on, Honey. You can’t do this to me. Not right now. You’ve got so much more to yell at me for, right? Like almost getting you killed? Key word, almost?” 

I pinched her nose and puffed twice. 

“Sir, her heart rate is growing weaker.” 

“You’re. Not. Doing. This. To. Me.” I yelled, pounding hard on her chest. 

“Sir . . .” 

“No! JARVIS!” I yelled. He mercifully shut up. But the surrounding silence might have been worse. “I can’t lose her.” I whispered. “I just can’t.” 

“Sir . . . I’m afraid her heart has stopped.” 

I slumped over her body and let every self-loathing thought I’d ever had wash over me. I reached down and grabbed her hand, still clad in one of the suits I’d built in order to keep her safe. What a joke that had been now. 

Eight months. I could have lived with her and loved her for eight months and instead I spent that time locked in a prison of my own making, convinced I was making a difference. 

This was all my fault. It was always my fault. 

Something moved underneath me, and I scrambled back as if burned. “JARVIS?” I asked, breathlessly. 

Before the AI could respond, Caroline jackknifed up and leaned to the side, spewing water before collapsing back to the ground, struggling to breathe. 

I scrambled towards her. “Honey?” I asked. She swung her arm in a panic, nearly bowling me over. “Honey! It’s me! It’s okay! You’re safe now! I’ve got you.” 

Her frantic eyes met mine and I watched as some of the panic faded. She took a few painful sounding breaths. 

“Tony?” 

I nodded. Her battered face glanced up at the night sky to see the snow falling. “Is that snow? Where are we? Are we in upstate?” 

“We are five miles outside of Rose Hill, Tennesse.” JARVIS chimed in. 

She blinked a few times before turning to me with a question on her face. “Why?” She asked. 

I shrugged a shoulder, unable to really talk in the moment. I need to see her . . . I needed to . . . 

“JARVIS . . . get her out of the suit.” I said. 

The suit virtually fell apart around her, highlighting just how damaged it had become. Not that it had ever been perfect to begin with. 

As soon as she was free from the metal confines, I scooped her into my arms and held her tightly to my chest. “I thought I’d lost you.” I whispered leaning down to press a kiss into her shoulder. 

Caroline held me just as tightly. For a long moment, we just sat wrapped in each other's arms, pretending that the rest of the world didn’t exist. But we couldn’t stay that way forever. 

JARVIS interrupted just as Caroline started shivering. 

“I’m sorry to interrupt. But the temperature is dropping quickly. You need to find shelter.” 

I pulled away from Caroline and pulled her up alongside me. “Alright JARVIS. Lead the way.” I turned to Caroline and pulled her to the suit. “Get in, Honey.” 

Her breathing was still ragged, and blood was trickling down her face and arms, but she still managed to dig her heels in. 

“No. You get in the suit.” 

I sighed in exasperation and reached back to cup her face in my hands. “I just watched you die, Honey. Not to mention that your clothes are soaked through and you look like you’re ready to topple any minute. This isn’t a discussion. Get in the suit.” When she crossed her arms and glared at me, I tried to play it nicer. “Please.” I whispered. 

Whatever she saw on my face must have changed her mind because she sighed, kissed me gently and then stepped into the suit. As soon as the visor closed over her face, I smiled. 

“What are we going to do with the pieces?” She asked, pointing at the wreckage of the Mark 42. I shook my head. 

“Just leave it. It’s worthless now.” I kicked one of the pieces aside. I had mixed feelings about this particular creation. On one hand, it had saved Caroline’s life. On the other, it nearly hadn’t. 

“We can’t just leave it here. What if someone finds it? They could sell it to the highest bidder.” 

I sent her a wry grin. “Honey.” I gestured around the empty forest surrounding us. “I really don’t think anyone's gone stumble across it. But if it makes you feel any better, we’ll come back for it once we’ve got everything else settled.” 

She nodded in acceptance. “Come here.” She said, motioning over. 

I stepped over and climbed awkwardly into her arms. 

“Guess I’ll be playing the role of damsel in distress today.” I sassed. 

She laughed and my heart soared at the sound. 

“Oh, baby. You didn’t know? You've been the damsel in distress since we met.” 

She launched us into the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're talking! Tony with a FULLY FUNCTIONAL suit AND Caroline by his side? Bad guys beware.
> 
> In Housekeeping News, I've switched to a MWF posting schedule for the time being and I may not be able to post this coming Friday, but never fear! We'll be back as soon as possible for more! 
> 
> Hope you're enjoying!


	8. Harley Keener

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand we're back! 
> 
> Aaaaand Harley's here!

“Set down over there!” Tony said, gesturing towards a dilapidated shed. “Maybe we can find something useful.” 

I slowed the suit and landed as gracefully as I could, Tony still held tightly in my arms. The mask went up as I glanced at him. “Breaking and entering are we?” I asked. Tony ignored me as he climbed out of my arms and tried to open the door. 

“Honey?” He asked, turning towards me and gesturing towards the door. 

I shot him a look. “Why don’t we go . . .” 

Tony shook his head. “I’m gonna stop you right there, honey. I don’t want SHIELD involved in this. I can tell you all about it once we’re inside . . . but let's get you INSIDE first.” 

I sighed, but the worry I could see in Tony’s eyes had me stepping towards the door. He was only moments away from a full-scale break-down. I could see the signs. He wouldn’t calm until I was safe and if I was being truthful . . . after the debacle with the Mandarin at the mansion, I needed the same reassurance. 

I reared my arm back and punched a hole through the flimsy wooden door. Then, I reached in and jiggled the knob, opening the door. 

Tony shot me a distracted smile as he pushed inside. I sighed and shut the door as best as I could behind me. “JARVIS?” I asked. 

“What can I help you with?” He responded. 

“Can you get me outta this?” 

The suit immediately opened up and I stepped out of it. “Thank you.” I whispered. 

The suit closed up and moved to stand in a corner, out of the way. 

Once out of the confines of the suit, the chill in the winter air hit me and I struggled to keep from shivering. Despite being on the other side of the shed, Tony noticed immediately. 

“Come here, Honey.” He whispered, gesturing towards me. I gratefully walked to his side. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tightly to his chest. My hand instinctively went up to press against the arc reactor, feeling the small amount of warmth it brought. 

Tony leaned his head against the top of mine and reached behind me for something. A moment later I felt a scratchy blanket being wrapped around me. 

Silently, Tony led me to the grease-stained couch in the middle of the shed. He collapsed on it and pulled me to him, settling me sideways on his lap. His arms wrapped around me in a near bruising hold, but I could feel him shaking beneath me. 

“Tony . . .” I started. 

Tony shook his head. “Just . . . I just need a minute . . .” He said, his arms somehow squeezing me even more firmly. I slipped a hand out of my blanket cocoon and rubbed one of his arms soothingly. 

“I’m okay.” I whispered. “I’m here. Nothing happened.” 

I felt Tony’s forehead come to rest against the top of my head, his breathing ragged. “You almost weren’t though.” His words were so quiet, I had to strain to hear them. “And it was all my fault. It’s always my damn fault.” 

I didn’t have anything to say to that. It had been his fault. He was just so . . . rash. Always willing to dive headfirst into danger, damn the consequences. But could I really chastise him for that? I wasn’t exactly innocent myself . . . and I’d known what I was getting myself into when we’d started this. 

“We’re going to make it right, though.” I whispered, still stroking his arm. “We’re here. Together.” I paused a moment and swallowed before I spoke again. “Let me in, Tony. Let me help.” 

I felt rather than heard the shudder that went through Tony then and I knew he understood what I was really asking. Our relationship had started crumbling the second he’d started leaving me out of his world. What I really wanted was a place back in it. 

Before Tony could say anything, the door burst open again. “Freeze!” 

Tony and I both glanced up to see a kid who couldn’t be more than ten or eleven standing in the doorway with an attempt at a brave face and a plastic weapon of some kind in his hands. 

“Don’t move.” He ordered. 

Tony released his hold on me and held up his hands. “You got me.” He murmured with the usual amount of sass in his voice. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Though I didn’t think the kids weapon would actually do much damage if used, it wasn’t in my nature not to treat an unknown variable as a threat. Before I could determine WHAT kind of threat it was, Tony interrupted. 

“Nice potato gun. Barrel’s a little long. Between that and the wide gauge, it’s gonna diminish your FPS.” 

The kid shot him a look that was just so . . . TONY that I almost snorted before he abruptly aimed the potato gun at the corner of the room and fired a shot. The sounds of shattering glass echoed behind us and I tensed slightly. 

Tony must have felt it because a hand came down and rubbed my back protectively. “Well . . . now you’re out of ammo.” I knew he said this more for my benefit and I relaxed minutely. 

The kid didn’t look sheepish for too long before he gestured at me with the barrel of his weapon. “What’s wrong with her?” He asked. 

“Nothing some warm clothes and a hot drink won’t fix.” Tony said. 

The kid stared at us in silence for a long minute. Tony sighed. “She’s got hypothermia. Don’t suppose you have a change of clothes we can borrow?” 

The kid stared for a long minute again before Tony grew tired of the silence. He shifted me off his lap and if my arms didn’t suddenly feel so heavy, I would have grabbed him back. In the back corner of the room, as though sensing the danger Tony had just put himself in . . . again . . . JARVIS took a step forward, the lights in his visor and on his chest lighting up. 

“Do you require assistance?” JARVIS asked. 

The kid dropped his gun. His eyes lit up. “Is that . . . Iron Man?” There was awe in his voice. A little of the tension in Tony’s back eased. 

“Well . . . I mean . . . technically . . . I am Iron Man.” 

The kid’s face took on a strange expression and he thumped a newspaper against Tony’s chest as he moved closer to the suit. “Technically, you’re dead.” He said. 

Tony unraveled the newspaper and showed the headlines. Looked like the world thought we were both dead. I winced and tried to maneuver my hands out of confines of my blanket so I could find my spare comm link. I needed to talk to Nat . . . needed to tell her I was fine and what was happening. 

My hands were shaking so hard, I could barely function. Tony’s eyes tracked my feeble movements. 

“Kid . . . you got blankets? Clothes? Booze? Anything . . . she really needs to get warm.” 

The kid was hovering over the suit, looking at it, without touching. The visor was tracking his every movement and it was obviously intimidating the kid. 

The kid glanced at me before he nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah. Just . . . wait here.” 

He turned around and raced out of the shed. Tony chucked the newspaper on a cluttered desk and turned back to me. “Maybe you should get back in the suit, Honey.” He said, wrapping me up in his arms again. 

I shook my head or tried to anyway. “No. No . . . I got this. I need to stay . . .” 

Tony interrupted by placing a quick kiss to my lips, one that stole my breath away and warmed a frozen place in my chest. “You need to stay safe, Honey. That’s all I know.” 

I reached a shaking hand out and weakly grasped his. “You too.” I murmured. My eyes slipping closed. It was getting harder and harder to stay awake. 

The kid rushed back in. “Here.” He said, shoving some things into Tony’s arms. Tony grabbed the towels and began drying my wet suit the best he could. The kid moved back to the corner of the room and was glancing over the suit again. 

“What happened to it?” He asked. 

Tony glanced up for a moment before he returned to his task. “Life.” He said simply. He reached over and grabbed the bottle of vodka the kid had brought back with him. He wrapped my fingers around it and pressed it to my mouth, silently pleading with me to take a sip. I grudgingly did as commanded, wincing as it went down. I couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through me then, though. At the very least, it woke me up. 

Tony sent me a relieved smile as he continued trying to dry my hair. 

“I’ll fix it.” Tony said, more to me, than to the kid, but the kid was the one who responded. 

“You’re like a mechanic.” He noted. 

Tony pressed a quick kiss to my lips before wrapping me back up in the scratchy blanket. He tipped the bottle against my lips and I took another swig before he moved towards the kid. 

“Yeah. I guess you could say that.” 

The kid glanced at me. “Are you a mechanic too?” He asked. 

Tony and I chuckled but I shook my head. I reached into suit and pulled out my badge. “I’m with SHIELD.” I said. 

The kid’s face lit up and he smiled wide. “That’s way cooler!” He exclaimed. 

Tony rolled his eyes and sent me a look. “No, it’s not.” He grumbled. 

I rolled my eyes and smiled at the kid. “Don’t worry about him, kid. He’s just jealous.” I paused for a second. “What’s your name?” I asked. 

The kid glanced at the both of us hesitantly before he responded. “Uh . . . Harley. Harley Keener.” 

“And who’s home, Harley, Harley Keener?” Tony asked in that slightly mocking way he had. 

He glanced at the both of us before he glanced at the suit. “Well my mom already left for the diner and dad’s . . . not around much.” 

Tony and I exchanged a glance before Tony gestured at the kid with his head. I sighed. For all his strengths, Tony still wasn’t good with kids. Especially kids with the same issues Tony had been struggling with his whole life. 

“Listen, Harley.” I started, already not liking where this was going. It wasn’t our place to drag an innocent kid into one of Tony’s epic messes. “What would you say to becoming a temporary Agent of SHIELD? We’re going to need all the help we can get.” 

Harley’s eyes lit up like I’d just offered him three weeks worth of Christmas. “Are you serious?” He demanded. 

I nodded. 

“Yes! Absolutely! What do you need?” 

I smiled, though it was a little forced. Tony and I were going to have a long talk about this later. “Tony will make you a list.” I said. “But for now, I don’t suppose you have any food?” 

Harley was out the door before I’d even finished my question. 

Tony--------------- 

She stared out the door at Harley as he took off across the frozen lawn. Some of the tension eased out of my shoulders when I saw that her shivering, at least, had stopped. She’d really scared me for a second. 

“Tony . . .” She started. 

I moved to her side and pulled her up into my arms, burying my face into the crook of her neck. I breathed in the smell that was uniquely her . . . even if it was muddled with the scents of mud and seawater. “I know. I know.” I mumbled against her skin. “What choice do we have though?” I asked. 

“We could always call . . .” 

I pulled away. “We aren’t bringing SHIELD in on this.” I said firmly. 

Her lips curled up in that way they did when she was about to argue with me, but I put a hand up. “I’m serious, Care. I did some digging after you . . . left.” I winced and my voice broke on the last word. A pain I didn’t even know I was capable of feeling shot across my chest. She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. It was that action that gave me the small sense of hope that I hadn’t completely ruined everything. Not just yet. She hadn’t wanted to leave me either. 

“Listen, Honey. I did some digging in SHIELD’s databases. They don’t know what they’re doing. And do you really think it’s safe to bring anyone else in on this? You really want Romanov or Barton or even Rogers going up against this guy? You saw what he did at the house right?” 

She shot me a look and I knew, right then, there was no way I was getting off the hook for that one for a long while. I didn’t care, I would be on the hook for as long as it took as long as it meant that she stuck around. 

Caroline took a deep breath and let it out. I could hear the gears grinding in her head as she worked through the flimsy strategy but eventually, she nodded. 

“Alright, Tony. We do this your way. For now.” 

I pressed a hard kiss to her forehead and pulled away. “It’ll be fun.” I tried to tease. “Just like old times.” 

I didn’t miss the sadness in her tone when she responded. “Yeah . . . just like old times.” 

I had my work cut out for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter to write because Tony's a worry-wart and I love that about him. It was also fun to watch himself jump headfirst right into the dog-house. 
> 
> He'll be getting an earful for THAT later. Assuming everyone survives of course. ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. Separation Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

The kid came back in record time. I’d give him that much. And he had the two basic food groups when he returned. A small bag of hostess donuts and two cups of steaming hot coffee. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. 

“Thanks, Harley.” Caroline said, cradling her cup in her hands. It didn’t escape my notice that she added a helping dose of vodka to hers. If I wasn’t so worried about her, I would have made a snarky comment about it. As it stood though . . . she could be as much of a wino as she wanted to be. Just as long as she warmed up. 

I took a swig of my own coffee. It was only thanks to years of poisoning myself with the stuff that I managed not to wince as it went down. Now THAT would put hairs on your chest. 

“Alright, kid. Listen up. Here’s what I need; A laptop, a digital watch, a cell phone and a map of the town.” 

Harley jotted it all down quickly on a tiny notepad he pulled out of thin air. A grudging smile lit up my face. In the corner, Caroline smiled into her spiked coffee. I ignored her. 

Harley glanced up from his notepad and looked as us both. “What kid?” I asked. 

He shrugged. “What should I call you two?” 

I smiled, though it was forced. “Call me the mechanic.” If he didn’t know the name Tony Stark, he wasn’t going to find it out. That would draw trouble right to his door. Caroline seemed to recognize it too, of course. 

“You can call me his bodyguard.” 

Harley glanced at me out of the side of his eye then. I didn’t like the look. 

“What? What’s that look for?” I demanded. 

Harley shrugged a shoulder. “You need a GIRL for a bodyguard?” 

Caroline opened her mouth to say something, but I held up a hand, cutting her off. “Listen kid. I might be Iron Man, but that GIRL over there has stopped more bad guys than I ever could. She’s a helluvah fighter and the best damn thing to ever happen to me.” My eyes flew up to meet hers over Harley’s head. I couldn’t quite read her expression, but I thought I saw something soften there before my eyes flicked back to the kid. “Maybe one day, you’ll be lucky enough to have a bodyguard of your own.” 

A blush dusted Harley’s cheeks and he muttered a grudging; “Whatever.” Under his breath. Then he flipped his notebook closed. “I’m gonna go find that stuff you need. Stay here.” 

I held up my hands again. “Wouldn’t dream of leaving this little home away from home.” 

Kid shot me a look but he once again left the shed. “JARVIS.” I said, calling out to the suit in the corner before Caroline could start in on me again. We needed to have a talk, her and I, but this wasn’t the time or place. I needed to be able to properly grovel. Maybe I’d take her to Italy or France . . . It didn’t really matter in the end, I supposed. As long as we took care of this threat first. 

“Sir?” JARVIS asked. 

“We got anything else on the Mandarin since we left Miami?” 

“I’m afraid not, sir.” JARVIS responded. I made a tsking sound. 

“Well that’s not good. We need to work on that.” 

“Tony . . . maybe we should split up.” Caroline hedged behind me. I spun around. 

“What? You want to leave again? No way! No how!” I felt something stirring in my chest, an impending sense of doom that was growing bigger and bigger at the thought of being separated again. She hadn’t been there when Happy was attacked. We’d been separated. My fault, I knew that. We had been separated at the house when the Mandarin had launched missiles into it, and she’d disappeared into the ocean. We’d almost been PERMENTANTLY separated when she’d all but drowned in the faulty suit she was in because I was too much of a mess to have gotten her a better once before most of my Iron Legion was blown up in front of me. 

We couldn’t be separated . . . not again! 

“Tony! Tony!” Her voice was calling to me, though it sounded distant, the thudding of my heart and rough sounds of my gasping filled my head instead. “Tony! Look at me!” My eyes shot to her face. Cold fingers reached out from under the blanket and she gently stroked my face. “Breath with me Tony. You’re okay.” I hadn't even noticed slipping to my knees on the ground. Her voice grew more focused in my ears as she reached out and placed one of my hands against her chest. A trembling calm started to wash through me as I felt the solid, if faint, thump-thumping of her heart and felt her breathing in rhythm with me. 

“That’s it, Tony. You’re okay. You’re here. With me. You’re fine. I’m fine. We’re in Rose Hill, Tennessee. You’re a genius inventor. A mechanic. You build things. You save people. You saved me back there. You’re okay. I love you.” 

My breathing slowly evened out and I glanced at her. She was smiling softly, though she was trying to hide the worry in her gaze. “There you are.” She whispered. 

I nodded slowly and tore my eyes away from hers as I glanced at everything and anything else. This was just like the panic I’d felt at lunch with Rhodey a few days ago. All consuming. And there was nothing I could do about it. The fear of losing her . . . the reminders of what had happened in New York . . . This. This is why I needed my army. 

But . . . they weren’t here. 

I grasped Caroline in my arms and pulled her tightly against my chest, breathing her in. 

“Really don’t think it’s a good idea to separate right now, Honey.” 

One of her hands was against my chest and I was sure she felt my heart rate spike again at the mere mention of us being separated, but she shook her head. “As much as I hate to admit it, Tony . . . I don’t think I’ll be much good to you out there just yet. I . . . need a minute. And you can’t tell me that you didn’t bring us here for a reason.” 

I chuckled darkly. I could never get anything past her. 

“Well, when you’re right, you’re right.” 

Harley chose that moment to come back into the shed. He cleared his throat when he saw us kneeling on the cold cement floor and grimaced when we both looked up at him. “Sorry, mister.” He started, holding something up. “The only thing I could find is the watch. It’s my little sisters.” 

“Thanks, Harley.” Caroline grinned at him. She glanced back up at me and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. “Go take a walk around town. I’m sure Harley can show you around. I promise I’m not going anywhere. JARVIS and I will hold down the fort.” 

I nodded slowly, squeezing her tight. Yeah. Right. Take a walk. Figure out what I was missing here. What SHIELD had missed. JARVIS could protect her. 

“JARVIS?” I asked, trying to steady my shaking voice. 

“Sir?” 

“Keep a tight lid on this place. It’s on lockdown. Got that? No one in or out except me . . . and the kid.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Caroline rose to her feet shakily and squeezed my hand before shoving me towards the door. “JARVIS and I will be fine, Tony. You want to go home right?” 

Needed to more like it. 

She smiled softly. “Go figure out your missing piece, Tony. I’ll be right here. I promise.” 

I nodded slowly again, waiting for the panic to once again overtake me but thankfully, it didn’t. I could trust her with JARVIS. I’d altered his programming too much for him to do anything but protect her. She didn’t know it, but JARVIS had become more protective of her than I was. It was the only reason I was able to leave the shed at all. 

I turned to the kid. “You know about the bombing that happened awhile back?” I asked, keeping my breathing steady as I walked towards him. I spotted a dusty coat in the corner of the room and slipped it on before I took the kid by the shoulder and led him out of the shed. 

“’Course I do.” The kid responded. 

“Great. I need you to show me where it happened.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. Sorry. But an important one. Caroline knows Tony's not doing well, she wouldn't be much of a spy if she didn't, but this is the first time he's had an actual panic attack in front of her. It's good for her to see what's going on behind the mask. And it's important for Tony to learn how to be vulnerable in front of her again.


	10. Candlelight Vigil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

The kid had managed to find me a hat which I had pulled low over my face as we moved through the quiet town. Despite how late it was, there were a lot of people out on the streets and it would defeat the purpose if anyone recognized me. For more than the first time today, I was really regretting just how well-known my face had become. 

“Ya' know, when you said your sister had a watch . . .” 

“Yeah?” Harley prompted. 

I held up the Dora the Explorer monstrosity he’d lent me. “I was kind of hoping for something a little more adult than this.” 

Harley chuckled. “She’s six!” He calmed down a little. “Besides, it’s limited edition.” 

Oh. THAT made me feel better. 

Harley turned the corner and led me to the destroyed rubble of a clearly abandoned building. Candles, photo’s, flowers, toys . . . all the hallmarks of a classic vigil were laid out. I didn’t miss the human shaped burn marks dotting the few surviving walls. It was just like the scene at Happy’s bombing. 

“When can we talk about New York?” Harley asked at my side. 

I felt a now familiar tremor wrack my chest. “Maybe never.” I said firmly. I didn’t talk about New York. Ever. With anyone. Not even Caroline. And I knew she’d been trying to get me to open up about it. 

“What about the Avengers? Can we talk about them?” He asked. 

I grit my teeth. Yeah. Earth’s mightiest heroes? The ones who’d been on hand to help when I screwed up? Caroline was one of their own and she’d almost drowned without a peep out of them. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Romanov had been there. Homewrecker that she was. 

I still hadn’t forgiven her for that. 

“Maybe later.” I told Harley. I gestured at the vigil with my chin. “What’s the official story here? What happened?” 

Harley took on a solemn tone as he shrugged a shoulder and took a seat on the frozen ground. “I guess there was this guy, Chad Davis. They said he lived ‘round here. He won a bunch of medals in the army and . . . well . . . one day, folks say, he went crazy. He made, ya’ know, a bomb. Blew himself up. Right here.” 

My hands brushed against the shadows on the walls, my mind whirling, trying to make sense of it all. What could do this kind of damage? Nothing I’d ever seen before. That was certain. Which was alarming giving my background in weapons . . . 

“Six people died . . . right?” I asked, quickly doing a headcount. 

“Yeah.” The kid said. 

“Including Chad Davis?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Yeah.” I repeated, taking one last glance around before taking a seat next to the kid. “That doesn’t make sense.” 

Harley glanced at me with curiosity in his eyes. I waved a hand at the walls. “Think about it. Six dead . . . only five shadows.” 

“Yeah . . .” Harley started. He turned to look at the ground, but I caught the weird tone in his voice. “People said these shadows are like the marks of the souls going to heaven. Except the bomb guy. He went to hell on account of what he did.” 

I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t sure I believed in heaven or hell. Wasn’t sure I wanted to. I was painfully aware of all my mistakes and I knew which way I’d be headed if either of them existed. Still, though, I didn’t want to trample all over the kids religion. If he had one. 

“Do you buy that?” I asked. 

“It’s what people say.” He was quick to respond. 

I shook my head but didn’t refute anything. It wasn’t my place. Besides, I had other things to worry about. The math on this thing just wasn’t adding up and it was bugging the hell out of me that I couldn’t figure it out. This was my one solid lead. I needed it to pan out. 

“You know what this crater reminds me of?” The kid spoke up suddenly. 

“No idea . . . and I don’t care.” I said gruffly. What kind of bomb could do this? The amount of firepower necessary to even reach the kinds of temperatures we were talking about . . . not to mention there wasn’t any shrapnel. But it couldn’t have all incinerated. Not with the kind of force the bomb had to have generated at detonation . . . 

The kid continued talking next to me. “That giant wormhole in New York!” He said, a huge smile on his face. 

My attention snapped to him and the pit in my stomach started growing. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I said firmly, trying to calm my beating heart. 

The kid seemed entirely oblivious to the inner turmoil he was causing. Guess I was a better actor than I’d thought. “Are they coming back? The aliens, I mean?” He asked. 

My heart skipped another beat and my mind was suddenly a raging inferno of memories from eight months ago. Watching Caroline get taken, Loki having her point a gun at her own head, watching as an entire city was decimated by an army we weren’t equipped to handle, flying a nuke straight up through a doorway to space, knowing I wasn't going be making it back . . . 

“Maybe. Can you stop?!” 

The kid’s face fell and I tried to take a few calming breaths, but they weren’t helping me settle my nerves. “Listen . . . kid . . . I have an anxiety issue. Okay? Just . . . I don’t want to talk about it. Alright?” 

“Oh. So, this subject makes you edgy?” He asked, the tenacious curiosity in him making it hard for me to breath and this time, Caroline wasn’t here to talk me down. 

“Yeah. A little bit. Can I just catch my breath for a second?” 

“Do . . . do you need a plastic bag to breath into?” 

I let out a shaky breath. The kid just wouldn’t stop! 

“Do you have medication?” 

“Nope.” 

“Should you be on some?” 

“Probably.” 

“Do you have PTSD?” 

“I don’t think so.” 

My breaths were coming in short gasps at this point as I tried to keep a lid on the panic brewing inside. I needed to get back to the shed. Get back to Caroline. Make sure she was okay. She had to be the first priority. JARVIS could take care of her, sure, but I could take care of her better. If something ever happened to her . . . I didn't know what I would do.

“Do you need me to stop? I can stop.” 

“Yes! I need you to stop!” I yelled. 

Harley froze but I couldn’t stay still long enough to make sure I hadn’t hurt his feelings. I pushed myself up and started walking. I needed to move. I had to move. 

“You happy now?” I called back. 

I ran down the street, shucking the coat. I was hot. I was too hot. 

“Wait! What did I say?!” The kid called after me. 

I only made it a few steps before I had to brace myself on my knees. I took in heaving lungfuls of air. It felt like I’d run miles. 

Luckily, this time, the kid gave me a second as I sank to the ground, snow melting into my pants and grounding me back in reality. 

When I’d gotten my breathing back under control, the kid spoke up again. “What the hell was that?” He demanded. 

I grunted and flung a handful of snow at him. “That was your fault. You freaked me out, kid.” I shook my head once and pushed myself back to my shaky feet. “Let’s get back to business. Where were we?” 

The kid shrugged and I scrambled to get my thoughts back in order. I ruthlessly shoved the memories of New York aside and focused on the here and now. I had to find this guy. I had to take him down. I had to avenge Happy. And make sure that my dumbass mistakes wouldn’t hurt Caroline any more than they already had. “The guy who died.” I started, working my way through the jumble in my head. “Uh . . . relatives. Mom. Ms. Davis. Where is she?” 

Harley scuffed a toe against the asphalt. “Where she always is.” 

I pointed at him. “Great. Now you’re being helpful. Alright. Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are we thinking? Tony's in a bad way and it's starting to catch up with him. He needs help.


	11. Fire Fight

I kept myself small, my hands in my pockets, elbows close to my sides, head down, as I moved through the sleepy town. Though my stealth suit didn't exactly blend in with the plaids and sweaters of the town, no one seemed to pay me much attention as I followed the GPS tracker JARVIS had given me.

I turned a corner and looked up to see Tony and Harley leaning against a wall that had seen better days. Even from a distance, I could hear Tony's ragged breathing.

“That was your fault. You freaked me out, kid.” Tony was saying. He reached down and flung a handful of snow at Harley. “Let’s get back to business. Where were we?” 

The kid shrugged and Tony started rambling. 

“The guy who died. . . Uh . . . relatives. Mom. Ms. Davis. Where is she?” 

Harley scuffed a toe against the asphalt. “Where she always is.” 

Tony pointed at him just as I reached the two. “Great. Now you’re being helpful. Alright. Lead the way.” 

“Well this wasn’t exactly the walk around town I had in mind.” I said, coming to a stop in front of them. I glanced down the street where a candlelight vigil was being kept and saw the shadowy human- shaped figures painted on the ruined walls. 

My gaze hardened. 

After Tony’s lecture to me about going after the Mandarin and he winds up here? There were no such things as coincidences. It was just another lie in the long line of them that Tony had been living with me for the past few months. When was he going to start letting me back into his life? Would he ever? 

I opened my mouth to say as much, but Tony’s arms were suddenly around me, squeezing me tightly. I could feel his heart pounding away at my chest and it reminded me why I’d snuck out of the shed in the first place. 

I reached around him and pulled him closely to me, breathing him in. We had a lot of work to do on this relationship, but here? Now? I just needed to feel him. 

“I thought you promised to stay in the shed, Honey.” Tony’s voice shook despite his attempt at sass. 

I laughed, my own voice shaking with the mix of emotions I was feeling. It had been a long day already. 

“That was until JARVIS told me I needed to go find you.” I pulled away from the hug and placed a hand on his heart. I looked up at him. “He was worried about you.” I said. I could see that Tony understood what I meant by the way he closed his eyes, hiding away from me again. He hated being vulnerable. Even with me. 

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the spare bracelet the suit had and handed it to Tony. “JARVIS said to give you this.” 

Tony grasped the metal cuff like it was a lifeline but kept one arm around me too. “J? You there, buddy?” 

“I am, sir.” JARVIS responded. 

“Thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye on Caroline.” 

“I was . . . but I was also keeping an eye on you. Though the nanobot injections did link you to the Mark 42 and that suit has been damaged beyond function, I am still able to access information on your vitals. You needed her more than she needed to be safe.” 

Tony glanced down at me and pressed a searing kiss to my forehead. “Agree to disagree, JARVIS.” Tony murmured. 

“So . . . Ms. Davis?” Harley interrupted, looking between the two of us with a disgusted look on his face. 

Tony laughed. “Yeah, kid. Ms. Davis. You said you knew where she was?” 

Harley pointed a finger to the other end of the street where a neon sign lit up the night. 

Tony and I exchanged a glance before I turned back to the kid. “Thanks, Harley. We can take it from here.” 

“But I’m a SHIELD agent!” He argued. 

I groaned. Yup. Knew I was going to regret that. 

Tony laughed quietly. “He’s got you there, Honey.” He turned to Harley. “Okay, kid. Wait outside. We’ll holler if we need you.” 

Harley nodded and slunk away. Tony handed me his discarded coat. “Put that on, Honey. You shouldn’t be out in the cold.” 

“Neither should you.” I grumbled, but I slipped the coat on anyway. There really was only so much I could do to hide the stealth suit otherwise and sooner or later it was bound to start catching attention.

Tony had an arm slung around me as we stalked towards the bar. Both of us were on high alert as we glanced around the sleepy town. My instincts told me that something was very, very wrong here. We needed to wrap this up and get back home. 

Tony started, bumping into me. I glanced at him and followed his line of sight as a woman with a heavily scarred face slipped out of sight. “Tony?” I asked, drawing his attention back to me. I nodded at the bar. 

“Yeah. Right. Ms. Davis.” He said. 

His arm slipped from my shoulders as he moved to open the door for me. My eyes stared unseeingly after the woman for a moment before I shook my head and moved into the bar. There was something about the scarring on her face . . . 

Tony slipped in behind me. He glanced around the bar quickly before his eyes fell on a sad, lonely woman at the end of the bar. He glanced at me and quirked his brow. I smiled and gestured with my chin towards the woman. There was no use spooking her. He wandered off. I wandered to the bar. 

I watched from a distance, casing the joint as I slowly sipped my drink. I’d lifted the wallet of some drunk next to me and left a generous tip in the tip jar. I glanced at the ID and memorized the address. I’d send him a check when we got back home. 

The woman had tears in her eyes as she and Tony continued to talk. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I saw the hope that lit up in her eyes as Tony glanced at a file she slid across to him. 

I smiled and was about to go back to my drink when a familiar woman walked into view. 

I’d known she was trouble. 

I quickly pushed off my barstool and moved towards the woman. Murder was in her eyes as she glanced at Tony and Ms. Davis. I reached out a hand and grabbed her arm, intending to pass it off as a drunk mixup. 

I didn’t have the chance. 

The woman spun around much faster than should have been humanly possible and slammed my head against a table. “Hey, Hey, Hey!” Shouts echoed around me as everything in the bar came to a screeching halt. My eyes made contact with Tony’s wide ones. I could see the panic start brewing there and I shook my head as much as I was able. The panic ebbed only the slightest amount. He grabbed the file off the table and flung it under the bar. 

“What the hell is going on?” A gruff voice called out, coming closer. 

I could get out of the hold she had me in, but something told me it was a better idea to wait and see how it played out. 

“It’s called an arrest.” The woman grit out, reaching down and clicking handcuffs into place around my wrists. She picked me up and gripped my arm with strength that seemed to rival Steve Rogers. I grit my teeth but gave my best impression of a dazed drunk to the various bar patrons. With my head still ringing from the force of the blow, it wasn’t hard to fake it. 

Standing a few feet in front of me, the local sheriff crossed his arms, looking none too pleased. 

“Sheriff, is it?” She asked. 

“Yes, ma’am. It is. And you are?” 

“Homeland security. We good here?” She asked, flashing a badge. 

The sheriff didn’t seem to buy her obvious lie and I bit back a groan, willing him to go about his business. The man glanced at me and then back at my attacker. I could see the gallant hero complex light up his eyes and I closed my eyes. I’d been here enough times to know what was going to happen next. I subtly started putting pressure on my thumb joint. If I could just pop it out . . . 

“No, we’re not ‘good’.” The sheriff chuckled. “I need a little more information than that.” 

I felt the pop and subtly wiggled my hand out of the cuffs. What was a little more pain on this already shot to hell day? 

“Alright. You know what? I was hoping we could do this the smart way.” The woman said angrily. She took a step forward, dragging me with her. “But the fun way’s always good.” 

She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her gun. At the last second, I spun and pushed her gun into the air. She fired several shots into the ceiling as screams started around me. 

I watched in horror as she eyed me. Her face seemed to be made of fire. “The fun way is more than good.” She smirked. 

She reached out a hand and shoved her burning badge against my chest. I yelped in pain as I was shot across the bar, flames already burning across Tony’s borrowed wool coat. Gunshots echoed around me as I shucked the coat and scrambled to my feet. 

Tony was beside me in an instant. 

“We gotta go!” He called, pulling me to my feet and dragging me towards the bar door. I glanced behind me in time to see the woman shoot the sheriff in the chest point blank. Our eyes made contact for the briefest second before Tony yanked me out the door. 

“What the hell?!” I demanded as we fled into the cold night air. 

“Not the time, honey.” Tony murmured, stumbling to a stop. In front of us, another glowing man stepped out of a car. He dramatically dumped his coffee out as he started stalking towards us. 

Gunshots sounded behind us, but I saw them shoot off into a nearby store as Tony shoved me behind a car. 

“Damnit!” I screamed, searching for a weapon in my suit. I must have lost the gun in the chaos at the house. 

“JARVIS?” Tony called into his suit bracelet. “I need the suit!” 

“On my way, sir.” 

The sound of footsteps drawing deliberately closer could be heard and I glanced around. “We gotta move!” I called, grabbing Tony’s arm and hauling him with me. I raced for the nearest shop window and threw myself through it, Tony right behind me. 

“Honey?!” He called, pulling me to my feet for the second time in as many minutes. 

“I’m good.” I tried to reason, shaking my head to try and clear it. 

Tony opened his mouth to argue with me, but another gunshot sounded above our heads and he pulled me to the back of the shop. He pushed me over the counter before leaping over himself just as another shot was fired. 

Tony and I lay frozen, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I desperately searched for a weapon, but found nothing. We were in a diner of some sort though. There could be knives in the back. I glanced at Tony to motion my plan to him, but his eyes widened. 

That was all the warning I got before I felt burning hands wrap around my arm and yank me to my feet. The woman slammed me against the wall, hands wrapped around my neck. 

“I think I’ll take care of you first.” She muttered sadistically. 

“JARVIS! SUIT! NOW!” Tony called. 

She laughed. “What’s a suit gonna do?” She demanded. 

The next second, I heard familiar thrusters come to a stop beside me. “More than you’d think.” JARVIS’ robotic tone chimed in. 

The suit raised its gauntlet and shot the woman point blank. I collapsed to my knees as her weight was ripped from me. 

“JARVIS, check on her!” Tony called, pointing in the direction the woman had been shot as he scrambled towards my side. “Honey, hey, Honey! Talk to me. You okay?” Tony rubbed a hand against my back as he tilted my chin up to look at me. My breaths were coming raggedly as I struggled to catch them. I winced as he prodded at my tender flesh. I shoved his hands away. 

“Stop it.” I coughed out. “I’m fine.” 

Tony let out a shaky sigh. “You’ve got to stop scaring me like that.” He murmured, said, pulling me into an awkward embrace. “It’s your turn to save me.” 

“Isn’t that what I just did?” I asked. 

Tony chuckled weakly as JARVIS stepped up besides us. “Both subjects have been dispatched.” He said succinctly. “Though I recommend we vacate the premise as quickly as possible. I am unable to determine if there are more of them in the area.” 

“Yup. Vacating the area. Sounds good to me.” Tony said, pulling me to my feet. My vision shifted and it took all the years of training I had not to faceplant as the vertigo took hold. I held strong though. I could see Tony starting to unravel at the seams and I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to lock me in the suit and send me home if he thought for a second I couldn’t handle myself. Frankly, I was surprised he hadn’t already. 

Tony gently took my hand and led me outside. He found a car that had escaped the chaos relatively unscathed and opened the drivers side visor. The keys dropped out and he shot me a confident smile as he jangled them. “Hop in Honey. You’ve got the back JARVIS.” He said, climbing into the car. 

The suit and I exchanged a look before we followed suit. “Where are we going?” 

“To put a stop to it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back babies!!!! 
> 
> It's been a hot minute. (No pun intended.) My computer broke, then there were midterms, then I was having some MAJOR writers block. 
> 
> You know how it goes. 
> 
> Updates are still going to be a liiiiittle bit spotty right now. While I was having writers block, I started a Soulmate AU for Steve that's been taking up the majority of my time. So I apologize for that! Though, you're interested it's called "The Flip Side of Heaven" and I highly recommend it. ;)
> 
> Hopefully I will be back to regular updates soon, but until then, stay safe, stay loved and thanks for reading!


	12. Break Downs

Tony tore down the highway like a madman while I did my best to remain calm. The analytical side of my brain pushed the the forefront as I compartmentalized all my aches and pains. “We need to get in contact with Nat and the rest of SHIELD.” 

“I don’t think so.” Tony bit out, a surprising amount of venom in his voice. 

“Tony . . .” I started. 

Tony shook his head adamantly. “If SHIELD had any idea what they were doing, the house wouldn’t have been blown to smithereens.” 

“No. The house wouldn’t have been blown to smithereens if you’d hadn’t gone and challenged the Mandarin to a pissing contest.” I did my best to keep my voice calm but some of the frustration that had been building up for a long time now slipped out. 

“So, what. What are you saying right now?” Tony asked, gripping the steering wheel tightly. 

I sighed. “Tony . . .” I started. 

“Nope. Don’t use that voice. That’s my voice. That’s the voice I used when I . . . whenever I had to break up . . .” 

Tony started sucking in huge lungsful of air. Suddenly, he veered the car to the side of the road and threw it in park. He jumped out of the car and started pacing outside of it. 

I got out slowly. “Miss?” JARVIS asked from the backseat. 

“Just . . . stay here.” I said. 

“Alright.” JARVIS said reluctantly. 

I moved towards Tony slowly. “Tony . . .” I started again. 

He shook his head and continued pacing. 

“I don’t think this is the . . .” I started. 

“What? The right time for this conversation?” Tony interrupted. “I disagree. Better to get it out now. Just let me have it.” 

I watched him sadly and sighed as I glanced up at the night sky. “Tony we don’t work together.” I said finally, glancing back at him. “We’ve . . . we’ve both been broken for a long time. Since it started really. And . . .” I trailed off as I felt tears start slipping down my cheeks. I wiped at them angrily. “Tony I love you. I love you more than I ever thought I’d be able to love another person.” I stepped closer to him and put a cold hand against the arc reactor I could barely see glowing through his shirt. “You make my world a better place, Tony Stark. But I don’t think I do the same for you.” 

Tony gripped my hand painfully in his as he kept it pinned to his chest. “You’re wrong, Honey. You don’t even realize how wrong you are.” He whispered. 

I looked up at his puffy eyes and gave him a sad sort of smile. “Tony. I’ve never asked for you to be anything but you are for me.” I started. “So, be honest with me when I ask you this; is there really room in your world for me anymore?” 

Tony immediately began to argue with me but I shook my head, silencing him. “Really think about it, Tony.” I whispered. 

He looked me over with the desperation of a dying man but he really took a minute to think it over. I knew the exact moment he realized what I was getting at. Tears filled his eyes and he started shaking his head violently. 

“The . . . the suits? Is this about the suits? Done. Got it. We finish this and they’re gone.” He snapped his fingers. 

I grabbed his hands. “Tony. It’s not about the suits.” 

“Then what . . . ?” 

“You saw something.” I whispered. His eyes squeezed shut. “I know you saw something when you went through that portal. I know whatever it was scared you. You’re preparing for something big, Tony. The suits . . . they’re an army. Built to protect. I know that. But if what you saw was really that bad, don’t you think you should let the rest of us know?” 

Tony leaned his forehead against mine and clung to my shoulders. “You have a hero complex as bad as Steve’s, Tony.” I said, my voice dropping even lower. 

He let out a watery chuckle and squeezed my shoulders even tighter. “Don’t compare me to that guy, honey. Come on. That’s just cruel.” 

I laughed weakly. “It’s true though, Tony. Both of you have Savior Complexes. What neither of you seem capable of getting through those thick skulls of yours is that you’re not alone. I can help, Tony. I WANT to help.” 

Tony shook his head against mine. “Every time I drag you into my world you get hurt, Caroline . . . I can’t . . .” 

“Shhhh.” I whispered soothingly, rubbing his back. 

We stood like that for a long minute until I could feel his heartrate slow to an acceptable level. “If I remember right, I drew you into mine first.” I whispered. 

Tony laughed and pulled away. His arms slipped down to wrap around my waist. “That’s right. You did.” He said, suddenly pulling the patented self-assured mask out of nowhere. “Well . . . whoever’s fault it was, we’re in it now.” He said suddenly. 

“JARVIS!” He called. 

“Sir?” The suit responded, stepping out of the car awkwardly. 

Tony glanced at me and gave me a sad sort of smile. 

“Don’t you dare!” I screamed realizing his intention just a second too late. 

“Initiate Sweet Caroline Protocols!” Tony said, stepping out of the way as I lunged for him. 

Before I even had a chance to spin around, I felt the suit wrap me up tightly. The suit spun to face Tony and then stood motionless as I struggled inside, trying to get it to obey my commands. 

“Please don’t do this.” I begged. 

Tony shook his head. “I can’t . . .” He took a deep breath. “I can’t lose you Caroline. And I promise, after this, whatever it takes. Therapy, getting rid the suits, a month-long vacation in Bali . . . whatever it is, I’ll do it. But I have to clean up this mess first and I need you to be safe while I’m doing this.” 

Tony walked back towards the car. The mask slipped over my face before I could scream anything at him. I watched helplessly as he got in the car and pulled the file he’d somehow pilfered from the bar out of his jacket. He looked over it and murmured something to himself before he shot me one last sad little wave and spun a U-turn back to the city. 

“JARVIS, get me out of this.” I said, attempting to wriggle my fingers. 

“I’m afraid it’s beyond my capabilities at the moment, Miss Fremont.” 

“What are your capabilities?” I demanded. 

“I’m under strict orders not to release you until Mr. Stark returns. Only he can override my commands.” 

“Get me a line to SHIELD.” 

“I cannot do that.” 

“Come on, JARVIS. Work with me here.” I murmured. 

“I’m afraid there’s nothing either of us can do, miss. The best thing we can do now is wait. If you’d like, I believe I can access Mr. Stark’s personal video collection if you’d like to watch something in the meantime?” 

I sighed. “Maybe later J. I’m just going to . . . think for a minute.” 

“As you wish.” 

JARVIS fell silent and I racked my brain trying to figure out a solution to my problem and to the Mandarin case. 

Nothing came to mind. 

It felt like hours later when I finally heard the sound of a car coming down the road. JARVIS slowly came to life around me. “Flag the car down, JARIVS.” I said. Hopefully they’d have a tire iron in the back and could pry me out of my prison. If I could get to the suits control panel in the helmet, I could manually override JARVIS’ protocols and take control back. 

“I’m afraid I can’t.” JARVIS said. 

I growled at my inability to DO anything. It was rare that I didn’t have some tool or resource I could use to get myself out of a jam. To be so closed off from everything made me feel oddly . . . vulnerable. 

I didn’t like it. 

Lucky for me, the glow of the arc reactor stood out like a sore thumb and I heard the car pull to a stop beside me. 

“Hey! Hey! Can you hear me?!” I called out, watching on the screens as a shadow slowly climbed out of the driver's side and approached me. 

“Hey!” I screamed again for good measure. 

“Agent Fremont!” JARVIS exclaimed before suddenly, there was a flash of electricity and the suit fizzled and died around me. Without the electrics to power it, the suit bent awkwardly at the waist, taking me with it. 

“Well look what we have here.” A muffled voice said. I winced as they pushed against the suit and the entire thing crashed to the ground. 

“You’ll never believe what I just found.” The voice continued. “A little suit, all alone.” 

“Yeah. I think someone’s still inside.” 

I winced as someone rapped against the helmet and a dull clanging echoed through it the suit. “You in there, little bird? If you are, might be a good time to fly away!” 

The voice laughed and said a few more things over the phone before I suddenly something grab my leg and start dragging me away. 

I was going to KILL Tony when I got out of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooooooo. Tony. Bad call, my man.
> 
> For those of you wondering what's going on, remember how there were two people in Rose Hill? Remember how JARVIS blasted the woman who nearly killed Caroline but you didn't see what he did to the other one? Remember the golden rule of comic books? 
> 
> "If you don't see the body yourself, it's not dead."
> 
> So Tony's locked her up to keep her safe, but has inadvertently left her a sitting duck for the other guy. Guess who's got dibs on the shotgun seat to hell?
> 
> Caroline.
> 
> Guess who's she's headed straight for?
> 
> Killian.
> 
> Guess who messed up big time?
> 
> Tony.
> 
> Poor guy.


	13. Mistakes

“JARVIS. . .” I started for the thousandth time. 

“I KNOW.” JARVIS’ tone was short and frustrated. 

That made two of us. 

Whatever the suit had been hit with, JARVIS was virtually immobile. Which was unfortunate as someone was currently attempting to pry the suit open with a crowbar. Based on the warnings the suit was throwing up, he was getting a little too close for comfort to finally prying me out of here. 

I’d nearly cried in relief when JARVIS had finally woken back up, only to find that he didn’t have access to his own systems. We were both trapped, waiting for the other shoe to drop. It wasn’t a position I usually found myself in. 

I didn’t like it. 

The sound of scuffling footsteps echoed around the room and I glanced up at the visor feed in time to see Rhodey’s suit be dragged into the room. 

“Rhodey?” I asked. Naturally, only JARVIS heard me. 

“The Lieutenant is indeed inside.” JARVIS responded, throwing a heat signature up on the screen. 

“Is he okay?” I asked, straining forward despite my inability to move. 

“Vital signs are stable. Heart rate normal. He appears to be in the same position as you, Miss Fremont.” 

I swore under my breath. “Any change in our communication capability?” 

“Not since the last time you asked, no.” JARVIS snarked. 

I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe evenly. I was stuck in the suit with no way to contact Tony, no way to get out myself, and no weapons even if I did manage to get out. My head was still aching with vengeance and I’d lost consciousness more than once since arriving in the hellhole I found myself. It was safe to assume I had a concussion at the very least. I wish I could have said that I’d done more with less but I was really scrapping the bottom of the barrel this time around. 

The two men hauling Rhodey’s inert suit strained as they hauled him into place on a hook similar to the one I was hanging from. 

“How’s it going?” One of them turned to the man prying at me. 

He grunted. “It’s not easy finding purchase.” He said. “The paneling’s too damn tight.” 

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe to stop morons like you from breaking into it.” I grouched, taking another look at the readings on my screen. The suit integrity continued dropping. 

“Wait! I think I got it.” The man said. 

“Miss Fremont . . . Caroline . . . I don’t think . . .” JARVIS’ tone was regretful. 

I cut him off. “When they pry this open, JARVIS, shut down. No one but Tony, Rhodey or I can activate the suit again. Got it?” 

“I don’t think . . .” 

“Got it?!” I demanded again, more urgently. I didn’t have high hopes of getting myself out of this. But I sure as HELL wasn’t going to let these bastards get their hands on one of Tony’s suits. I’d die before I let that happen. 

“Understood.” JARVIS’ voice was regretful, but firm. 

I smiled sadly and squeezed my eyes shut. “Tell him I loved him. Okay?” I whispered. “’Cuz I did, JARVIS. More than anything.” 

“I’ll tell him.” JARVIS answered. 

“Good.” I sniffled and shook my head. “Shut down, JARVIS.” They almost had the suit open. 

“Miss . . .” 

“Shut down now!” 

The HUD visor went black just as the first brushes of fresh air brushed my chest. I took a deep breath to steady myself as they pried the suit open and then I quickly moved to action. 

I threw myself out of the suit, rolling across the floor and taking the man with the crowbar out at the knees. In the same instant, the crowbar found itself in my possession. I immediately swung it at the men surrounding Rhodey’s suit. They yelped as they dove out of the way of my make-shift weapon. 

I needed to get Rhodey down. If his suit was better off than mine was, we stood a chance. 

I raised the crowbar above my head and made to make another swipe, when a CRACK rang through the air. 

I lurched forward, my arms falling to my sides uselessly as I glanced down to see the bright red stain slowly blooming across my chest. 

I collapsed to my knees and still I couldn’t take my gaze around from the hole that hadn’t been there only a second before. 

My head hit the ground with another crack and I hardly felt it as I watched the blood pool out around me. 

A sneering face came into blurry view as a voice sounded suddenly. “Ah. Miss Fremont. Do you have time for that dinner your promised me now?” 

Everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whyyyy Tony? Whyyyyyy?


	14. Miscalucations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't normally double post in one day on this story! But I couldn't very well post the last chapter without posting Tony's follow up chapter. So, here you go:

I snapped awake and moved to shift my hands, but they were strapped to a bed frame? You and I hadn’t gotten into anything kinky last night . . . had we? 

My head cleared the more I glanced around. No. You and I hadn’t. 

I’d gone after Mandarin. 

Alone. 

I sighed. You were going to kill me. 

I glanced over when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Maya spun around in her chair and smirked at me. I sniffed. 

“Just like old times, huh?” She asked. 

“Oh yeah. With zip ties. It’s a ball.” I murmured sarcastically, my head already wading through idea after idea to get myself out of here. 

I could call the suit if I could get to the bracelet I could see lying on the table. But I didn’t want to play that card just yet. Besides, the point of locking you in the suit was to keep you out of harm's way, not drag you into the middle of it. 

“It wasn’t my idea.” Maya tried defending. 

I wasn’t particularly in a listening mood. “Right. So, you just threw your lot in with the likes of Killian.” 

“I took his money.” She clarified. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not seeing the difference here.” I rattled my bedframe for emphasis. 

Maya sighed and moved to come closer. “A lot has happened, Tony.” She started. 

I ignored her as I played with the bindings on my wrists, testing their integrity. 

“I’m close.” She said firmly. “EXTREMIS is practically stabilized.” 

I scoffed and gave up on the zip-ties. “I’m telling you. It’s not.” I could see the same zeal in her eyes that I’d seen on a thousand other brainwashed faces. She wasn’t going to listen to reason. Still, for Chad Davis and the dozen others like him, I had to try. “People are going bang. They’re painting the walls.” 

“Then help me fix it.” She said it so simply. Like there was even something TO fix. She held up a worn-out nametag I hazily remembered filling out a lifetime ago. 

She turned it around and I saw my handwriting scrawled across the back, half an idea written out in a drunken haze. I closed my eyes briefly as the guilt started to eat me alive. Every death . . . Chad Davis . . . HAPPY . . . it was all my fault. 

“Did I do that?” I asked, trying to maintain some semblance of arrogance. It was a mask I’d been using for so long; it came like second nature to me. 

Maya dropped the card and gave me an almost . . . heartbroken expression. “Yes.” She said. 

“I remember the night. Not the morning.” I taunted, hating myself a little, but hating that she was using this against me more. “I can’t help you.” 

“You don’t remember?” She asked. 

“I remember you used to have ideals. Morals. You wanted to help people. What happened to that?” 

Tears filled her vision. 

“I get to wake up every morning with someone who still has her soul.” I winced internally even as I spoke the words a loud. But Maya didn’t need to know about our relationship problems. Besides, once I got out of this, and I WOULD, you and I would talk and we’d work it out. 

I wasn’t going to lose you. 

Speaking of you . . . 

“Get me out of here.” I ordered as gently as I was able to in the moment. 

Tears streamed down Maya’s face, but she didn’t move any closer. 

“Come on.” I said again, impatient. 

Maya scoffed and walked away just as another pair of footsteps echoed around me. “You know what my old man used to say to me? A favorite saying of his. He said; ‘the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese’.” Killian said, coming into view. 

“You’re not still pissed off about the Switzerland thing are you?” I questioned, as I tugged at my binds again. A sinking feeling was starting to curl around my gut. 

“How can I be pissed at you, Tony?” Killian asked, sweeping towards me with an awful lot of false bravado for a dead man walking. “I’m here to thank you.” 

“Thank me?” I asked, looking at him with a decidedly unimpressed look on my face. 

“Yes.” He stepped closer until he was in my bubble. “You gave me the greatest gift that anyone has ever given me. Desperation.” 

The sinking feeling got stronger as I squinted at the psycho in front of me. 

“If you think back to Switzerland; you said you’d meet me on the rooftop. Right?” He continued. Well, for the first twenty minutes, I thought you might actually show. But after that . . .” He took a few steps away. “After that . . . I contemplated taking the one-step shortcut to the first floor, if you know what I mean.” 

I laughed. “Honestly? I’m still trying to figure out what happened to the first mouse.” I sassed. 

Killian spun on his heel and walked away. He turned back around and jabbed a finger at me a couple times. He turned to Maya. “He’s funny.” 

He turned back to me. 

“When I looked out over that city . . .” He said, continuing his rather predictable super-villain monologue. “. . . nobody knew I was there. No one could see me . . . no one was even looking. Well. I had a thought that would guide me for years to come. Anonymity. You simply rule from behind the scenes. Because, see, I’ve noticed something. The second you give people a face, a villain, a Bin Laden if you will; you give people a target.” 

“You’re something else.” I muttered darkly. 

Killian laughed and shrugged like it didn’t matter to him what I thought. It probably didn’t. He was too high in his own esteem. I’d met hundreds of bad guys since I’d started as Iron Man. I didn’t think I’d met anyone as full of it as this asshole. 

“What’s next for you in your world, huh?” I asked. 

He smirked. “I’m glad you asked because, see, I want to repay you the self-same gift you so graciously paid me.” He pulled a laptop off the table and typed something out on it before he stepped closer to me. He spun the laptop to face me and I froze. 

The suit, the suit I distinctly remembered leaving you in was hanging from hooks in the middle of a dungeon that looked startling like the one I was in. 

I watched in horror as a man with a crowbar pried the chest panel open and you tumbled out. Your eyes were wild as you knocked the man to the ground and popped up, his crowbar in your hands. For a brief second, I was sure you would pull off the impossible. Then, out of nowhere, you lurched forward. 

You glanced down at your chest as blood started spilling from the bullet wound that had just opened up in your chest. 

“No.” I muttered. 

You collapsed to your knees before falling to the floor. Blood started pooling around you too fast. It was flowing too fast. 

I lost all ability to speak as I watched Killian step over your prone body. Your eyes fluttered and closed, and your head lolled to the side. 

Inside, I felt the last of whatever it was that had been keeping me going since New York, crumble to dust. 

One word echoed in repeat in my mind as I sucked in a shuddering breath. 

Dead. 

You were dead. 

You’d told me time and time again that I needed to trust you. To let you in. 

I promised you I would and then I’d left you on the side of the street like an unwanted stowaway and now you were . . . dead. 

I felt something reach into my chest and grip my heart in a vice. I could barely breathe as I strained against the binds tying me down. 

“I’m going to kill you.” I muttered, eyes still drawn shut against this new reality. One without you in it. It was my fault. IT WAS ALWAYS MY FAULT. 

Killian chuckled. “Well now, that’s not very nice.” 

“I’m gonna KILL you.” I repeated. 

“Or you could work with me.” He said. 

My head shot up and I saw him pull a gun out of his pants. The same gun that had . . . 

I sucked in another breath. 

Killian aimed the gun at Maya and pulled the trigger. She dropped to the ground, gasping for a few minutes before I watched the light drain out of her eyes just like it had drained out of yours . . . 

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU.” I vowed. 

“I can see you’re a little . . . upset. I’ll give you a second to think it over. I promise I have a VERY generous benefit package prepared for you. And wouldn’t you know it?” He glanced at Maya’s dead body, her eyes still staring up in shock. “A high level position just opened up.” 

He stepped over her body and left the room. “Think about it.” He called over his shoulder. 

My fists clenched as I glanced at Maya’s body. All I could see was yours. My heart felt like it was bleeding inside to match yours. 

I was going to KILL him, and I was going to enjoy every minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony's fatal flaw will always be trying to protect everyone at the cost of himself. 
> 
> Some mess up's not even he can fix though.


	15. Vendetta's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra *extra* chapter for all you readers.
> 
> Especially for MrsxFredWeasley. 
> 
> Enjoy!

I was left to stew in my anger as Killian walked away and two goons entered the room to keep an eye on me. I made a promise to myself that I was going to kill every last one of them. They might not have pulled the trigger, but they were all just as guilty as the waste of breath that had. 

I SEETHED in rage as I held onto the zip-ties that were still keeping me tied to the bed frame. In the back of my mind, I was aware that I was clinging to my anger as a shield against the other emotions that were threatening to overwhelm me. But I was past caring. 

You were dead. 

It was my fault. 

I was going to kill everyone. 

A beeping sound interrupted my bloodlust. The two goony-bears glanced up from their first-place brooding to find the kid’s watch someone had taken from me and left on the table. 

The two crept towards the table and picked up JARVIS’ comm bracelet instead of the watch. I blessed my lucky stars that the market for smart goons wasn’t high. “You gotta put in the code to turn it off.” I said, off handedly. 

“Shut up!” One of them called out. 

He grabbed the bracelet and shook it. I rolled my eyes. “Just say the code.” 

He glared at me. 

“Fine. I’ll do it. JARVIS! PICK UP!” I yelled as loudly as I could. 

Almost instantly, and just down the hall, I heard shouts as familiar thrusters fired. 

My heart clenched. You’d been right here. You’d been so close. If I hadn’t . . . 

I could have saved you. 

The suit burst into the room, looking a little worse for wear. “Sir?” JARVIS’ voice sounded confused. I didn’t dwell on it. 

“Light it up!” I called, as Thing One and Thing Two pulled their guns out and pointed them in my direction. 

JARVIS didn’t need any more direction as he immediately blasted my two guards through several walls. 

He immediately spun to me and ripped my hands away from the bedframe. The suit opened and I threw myself inside, doing my best not to notice the smell that was distinctly you that still lingered in it as it sealed around me. 

“Let it loose, JARVIS.” I ordered as several dozen more guards piled into the room. 

“With pleasure, sir.” JARVIS said. 

I blasted away, acutely feeling the hole in my heart that their pained screams didn’t quite manage to fill. Still, I couldn’t stop as I fired again and again. 

You were still dead. 

They still needed to pay. 

It must have only been seconds when I spun to watch the last goon turn tail and flee with his tail between his legs. “JARVIS?” I demanded. 

“That was the last of them.” He said reservedly. 

“JARVIS?” I asked again, this time for a different reason. 

He hesitated. “I have a message for you, sir.” He finally said. 

I closed my eyes. No. “JARVIS . . .” I wasn’t sure what I was asking for at this point. 

Your face appeared on my screen, tears in your eyes and a hopeless look painted on your face. You’d KNOWN. The saddest smile I’d ever seen graced your lips. 

“Tell him I loved him. Okay?” You whispered. “’Cuz I did, JARVIS. More than anything.” 

Your face faded away and I felt tears stream down my face. 

“She’s gone.” I choked out, needing something. Needing YOU. 

“She . . . loved you.” JARVIS offered. It was all he could do. 

I nodded slowly and took a few deep breaths. “I . . . I need to see her, JARVIS.” I said finally. 

“Sir . . .” JARVIS started. 

I shook my head. “Take me too her, JARVIS. It’s not a request.” 

“Straight down the hallway, you can’t miss it. I believe Mr. Rhodes is still there.” 

I walked with heavy footsteps towards you. I wasn’t sure I was ready to see what was waiting for me in that room. But I needed to face my sins and I needed to say . . . goodbye. 

I paused in the doorway for just a moment before I forced myself inside. 

Rhodey was slowly climbing to his feet, rubbing his face. His suit was nowhere to be found, but I hardly paid any attention to that as my eyes were drawn to the bright scarlet stain in the middle of the room. 

I collapsed to my knees. 

There was so much blood. 

Too much blood. 

But no you. 

“They . . . uh . . . they shot her, Tony. I couldn’t do anything. I’m sorry, man.” Rhodey whispered, stepping towards me. He put a hand on my shoulder. 

“Where is she?” I asked in a choked whisper. 

Rhodey shook his head as he glanced around for a weapon. “They took her.” 

I jumped to my feet. “Why would they do that?!” I demanded, rounding on him. 

He shook his head and held his hands up in an ‘I don’t know’ gesture. 

It was my turn to shake my head as I gripped his shoulders. “Don’t you see? She must be alive then!” A flare of hope lit up my chest, easing the vice-like grip my grief had on my heart. 

In the next second, Rhodey crushed it beneath his feet. 

“The suit . . .” He cleared his throat and I thought I saw tears well up in his eyes. “The suit registered her heart, Tony.” He lowered his voice and reached out another hand. “Her heart stopped, man. She’s gone.” 

I felt my knees threatening to buckle under me again as the hope burned away to the most soul-crushing agony I’d ever felt in my life. 

Tears fell freely down my face, but I didn’t have it in me to wipe them away. It was all my fault. It was ALWAYS my fault. I hadn’t learned the lesson the first time and I’d wasted the only second chance I’d ever be given. 

“Tony . . .” Rhodey whispered regretfully. “I know this is a lot to handle, but we need to get out of here. They took my suit, man. The president is in danger.” 

“I just . . . I need a minute.” I murmured, scratching at the release on the suit. I spilled out of it and clutched at the arc reactor on my chest. I fell to my knees, taking in gasping breaths of air. “I just need a minute.” I gasped over and over. 

I heard JARVIS and Rhodey talking above me, but I hardly heard them as I scrambled for purchase in my own damn mind. 

I felt Rhodey kneel beside me. “Tony. Hey! Man! Look at me!” 

My frantic eyes met his. He gripped my shoulders. “You need to calm down, Tony. She wouldn’t want this. She would want you to be okay.” He said. 

“She’d . . . want . . . me . . .” And just like that I found the smallest flicker of the burning rage that Killian had ignited within me when he’d made me watch the video of your murder. 

I took a deep breath and an eerie sense of calm washed over me. “Caroline . . .” I choked on your name, but straightened my shoulders as I pushed to my feet. “She’d want us to save the president.” I said firmly. 

Rhodey nodded. “Yeah. Man. She would.” 

“Then she’d want us to end the Mandarin.” 

Rhodey glanced at me. “You know who it is?” 

A darkness fell over my gaze as I glanced one last time at the pool of red that was the last reminder I had of you. “Yeah. I do. And he just pulled the trigger on the wrong person.” 

I glanced back up at Rhodes. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The weirdest part of the movie to me is when Tony and Rhodey meet up and Tony's like "We have to save Pepper" and Rhodey's like "Nah, man, we have to save the president." And Tony's just like, sure?
> 
> I mean, the whole movie, we've established that he's dealing with SEVERE PTSD and he's had more than one panic attack, but he see's Pepper tied down and doesn't even take a single minute to freak out before he get's right back to world saving? 
> 
> I mean, I know he's able to put his attention into saving the world and that helps distract him, but sorry. No. I have panic attacks and that's not how they work. Not for me, anyway. 
> 
> Granted, the difference between the movie and this is that Pepper was just in danger and Caroline is gone, but still. I feel like in either case, he would have needed a minute. So I gave him one.
> 
> Killian best watch out though. Tony's well aware that the only thing standing between him and a complete break-down is the white-hot-rage burning through him right now. You can bet your sweet biscuits that Tony's gonna hold on to that for as long as is humanly possible.
> 
> AIM is going to BURN before Tony's done with them.


	16. Mr. President

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol. Okay - let's just face it. I was on a roll today. 
> 
> Pretty sure this will be the last chapter for today though. Sorry for the rapid spam! But I got too invested! 
> 
> This one goes out to twowice. Thanks for reading!

It was the pain that woke me up. The burning pain that felt like every single nerve in my entire body was on fire. My eyes shot open and I gasped, but my training kept the scream I could feel welling up in my throat. 

“Ah.” A sinister voice said. One that tickled at something at the back of my mind. “Welcome back to the land of the living.” 

Aldrich Killian stepped into view. 

I watched him blearily and belated realized that tears were falling down my face and making sizzling noises as they evaporated. I glanced down and it took everything I had to hold in my gasp as I saw the fire that seemed to be moving under my skin. 

“You know, you’re the first cadaver we had the chance to try EXTREMIS on.” He smirked as my back arched off the table. Still, I kept my mouth clamped against my screams. “Seems to be a resounding success so far.” 

I collapsed back on the table I was tied to. “Why?” I choked out. 

“Why?” Killian asked, turning to me. “I assume you’re asking why I’m doing this?” He waited for a response. I didn’t bother giving him one. “Well, it’s a little embarrassing. But you WERE meant to be a trophy. A prize. A reward for good behavior, if you will.” 

I shot him the most scathing glare I was capable of as another flash of pain burned through my body. I clenched my fists together but kept every other reaction holed up inside. 

Killian glanced at me curiously before he reached out and ran a gentle finger down the side of my face. “Maya . . . sweet Maya . . . she got me close to perfection with her formula for EXTREMIS. But it turns out it hadn’t been her brainchild to begin with. No. We needed someone else.” 

He turned from me and paced away. I sucked in a heaving breath. Killian didn’t seem to notice. “But see, Tony needed little motivation. What better way to convince him to perfect my formula than by injecting it into the one thing he values most in this world?” 

Killian stepped back towards me and leaned close, his lips hovering over mine. “Of course, being the generous man I am, it also gave you another chance at life.” 

His lips brushed mine gently and I yanked at my bindings, intending to shove him away. But my arms were jerked back to my sides and I let out a whimper of pain. 

He pulled away and smiled. “I can’t help the pain, I’m afraid.” He said, affecting an air of concern. I wasn’t fooled for a second. 

“It’s probably even more painful for you.” He murmured, glancing over me curiously. “It’s nearly . . . unbearable just to regenerate damaged cells. But you . . .” He twirled a strand of my hair around his fingers. “All of your cells were dead. You were dead.” 

My back arched off the table again and a strangled cry escaped my lips. 

Killian smirked as he bent down and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Shhh. Shhh.” He said, stroking my hair away from my face. “You’ll be okay . . . if you survive.” 

He moved to walk out of room. “Of course, if you survive, you’ll be stronger than ever!” He called over his shoulder. 

As another strangled gasp escaped my lips, I made a promise to myself. I was going to kill that man if it was the last thing I did. 

Tony----------------- 

I dropped the last of the passengers from the hijacked plane into the water. I let myself revel in the victory as JARVIS counted out all of them for me. “Great work guys! Yeah! Go us!” I said, a sad smile crossing my lips. 

You would have been proud, honey. 

The smile faded off my face in the next second as your final moments played out in my head for the millionth time. 

I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forget the image of you dropping to your knees and keeling over dead. 

I turned around and glanced at the readouts on my screen. It was time to end this. 

“Alright, JARVIS. You get a fix on the president’s location?” 

JARVIS threw a signal up on the screen. “He’s here sir.” He said. 

I bit back a snarl. It was nearly on the other side of the country. 

Didn’t matter. 

Killian was dead even if I had to fly to the other side of the world. “JARVIS? I think it’s time.” 

“The house party protocol sir?” 

“Yes. Light ‘er up.” The first genuine smile I’d felt all day crept over my tired face. In the corner of my screen I saw JARVIS activating dozens of suits. 

“Rhodes?!” I called out. 

“Here!” He called, waving his hands. I flew to him. “Tell me you’ve got good news.” He said. 

I nodded. “I think they all survived.” I said, gesturing over my shoulder with my thumb. “But Killian already got the president.” 

Rhodey nodded. “You know where he is?” 

I nodded. 

“Am I gonna like this?” 

“No chance in hell. Get ready.” 

“Get ready for whaaaaaaa!!!” 

I gripped him around the waist and shot into the air before he could finish his sentence. 

We were maybe halfway to the destination point on the map when JARVIS lit up my HUD like a Christmas tree, distracting me from my detailed thoughts of torture. 

“Sir, you may want to see this.” 

“What am I looking at?” I asked as blurry footage slowly appeared on screen. Wherever the camera was focused; the room was pitch dark. 

“I managed to hack into the video feed from Mr. Rhodes suit. This is live.” 

The suit took a few more shaky steps and the camera focused in on the only other person in the room. 

I sucked in a shocked breath and nearly dropped Rhodey. 

“What the hell man!?” He gripped, but I wasn’t listening. 

Strapped to the table, veins full of the same chemicals I’d seen in the AIM videos at Sir Laurence’s house, was you. 

You were alive. 

My breaths were coming in short gasps as I watched your back bow up off the table. Your eyes were squeezed shut, but there was so much pain written on your face, my heart ached. 

“You’re starting to squeeze a little tight, man.” Rhodey warned, prying at my hands. 

I loosened them slightly. “JARVIS, everything into the thrusters.” I choked out. Rhodes yelped as we took off even faster into the night. 

Killian stepped into view and looked directly at the camera. “Well, Mr. President. I see you’ve arrived.” 

He glanced over his shoulder as your body came down hard on the table. You sucked in heaving breaths of air, but I could see the way your hands were still clenched together. “Come on, honey. You can do this. You can fight it.” I muttered under my breath. 

“I see you’ve noticed my latest asset.” Killian said, turning back to the president. “Oh, don’t worry. The glow is quite normal. You see, right now, her body is trying to decide whether or not to accept EXTREMIS. If it does, she’ll survive. If it doesn’t . . . well . . . I hear the resulting explosion is rather spectacular.” He smiled sinisterly, but my eyes were glued to your body as you struggled not to writhe in pain. 

“Accept it, baby. Just accept it.” I begged. 

The glow under your skin seemed to grow just a little bit brighter as JARVIS and I watched with rapt attention. 

Killian walked over to you and brushed your hair out of your face. He leaned down and kissed your forehead gently. “Fortunately for her . . . there was a little mix up earlier today, so her choice is to either accept it or go back to being . . . . well . . . dead is such an unpleasant word.” Killian shrugged. “But . . . it might give her just a little bit more motivation.” 

He stepped away from you and moved back to stand beside the president. He turned the suit away and your face was no longer displayed against my HUD but it didn’t matter. It was burned into my mind. 

“Keep an eye on that, JARVIS!” 

“Of course, sir.” JARVIS instantly agreed. 

Just hang on, honey. Just hold on. I’m coming. I’ll fix this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as an inside joke . . . Caroline says; "Hey guys." ;)
> 
> As an explanation. She did die. She was dead. Gone. Donezo. 
> 
> She lived because she's a fighter and because Killian, sick, twisted bastard that he is, was curious to see what would happen if he injected a chemical that's meant to bring dead cell's to life or regrow entire limbs, into a dead body.
> 
> Turns out, given the right circumstances, he's kinda invented an injectable form of the Lazarus Pit (see the DC Universe for THAT one.) 
> 
> It won't be without consequences, naturally. But at least she has a fighting chance.
> 
> Love you guys! Thanks for reading!


	17. Fire Fight (Reprised)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

I landed with a dull thud just outside the shipping yard. According to the readout, you were a hundred yards up in one of the offices overseeing the mess. 

Rhodey stumbled as I released my grip on him. “Never do that again.” He warned, bending over and planting his hands on his knees. He sucked in a few lungsful of air. 

I ignored him. “You got a lock on Caroline and the president?” I asked JARVIS. 

“Caroline?” Rhodey asked. “Tony . . . man. You’ve got to let her go.” 

I slipped the mask up so I could shoot him a look. “She’s alive. Your suit got a good look at her.” 

Rhodey blinked at me a few times. “Well. Alright then.” 

“JARVIS?” 

“You need to hurry, sir. Her temperature is spiking dramatically.” JARVIS informed me. 

I turned and glanced at Rhodey. 

He shook his head. “Tony. The president.” He insisted. 

I felt my heart starting to pound faster in my chest. It didn’t feel like there were any good options. A real heads you win, tails I lose kind of situation. 

“Hey. Are you freaking out on me?” Rhodey asked, glancing me over. 

“Geez, I hope not.” I gasped out. 

“Mr. Rhodes suit is locked into position over the docks.” JARVIS said, shooting a hologram out from the arc reactor so Rhodey and I could clearly see the president locked in the Iron Patriot armor, hanging from hooks. 

Rhodey glanced from the hologram to me and back again. “They’ve got him strung up over an oil barrel. They’re gonna light him up man.” 

I funneled all my concentration into what he was saying and somehow shoved the panic into the back of my mind. “Viking Funeral.” I choked out. 

“Public execution.” He agreed. 

“What do we do?” I asked, one ear tuned into the pained gasps JARVIS was picking up from the room that you were being held in. 

Rhodey shook his head. “We need backup.” 

I managed a small smirk as I spotted a tiny speck of fire coming towards us. “Well, I think we’ve got it.” 

I gestured with my chin as the rest of the suits finally, FINALLY showed up. 

“Are those?” Rhodey asked. 

“Yup.” I answered. 

“Did you. . . .?” 

“Yup.” 

Rhodey shook his head. “Man, you need a hobby.” 

“I have a hobby.” I said, gesturing towards the suits. 

“Sir, are we cleaning house?” JARVIS asked. 

I smiled. “Take ‘em to church!” I called out. 

Immediately, the suits began attacking everyone not recognized in their programming. Rhodey smiled at me for the first time since we’d met up at Killian’s headquarters. “Great! Yeah. Alright! Give me one!” He held his arms out and I shook my head. 

“Sorry. They’re uh . . . they’re only programmed for me . . . or Caroline. Speaking of!” I shot into the sky, ignoring his shouts. 

The president may have been Rhodey’s mission, but you would always be mine. 

“Get me to her, JARVIS!” I called, navigating the errant blasts from my other suits and the angry glow-sticks that were trying to shoot me out of the air. 

In almost no time at all, but after what felt like an eternity, I touched down on the stairway leading to the room you were trapped in. 

I opened the doors slowly, hand raised, ready to blast whoever looked at me even remotely funny. 

I took quiet steps as I rounded the corner. 

Then my eyes found you and I dropped all caution as I raced to your side. 

“Honey!” I called out. I slipped out of the suit on instinct. Your veins were lit up like a Christmas tree. Sweat trickled down your face only to evaporate almost just as quickly. Pained whimpers left your lips as your head thrashed from side to side. 

You didn’t seem like you could hear me. 

I reached out a hand to brush your wet hair away from your face and breathed your name. Your eyes shot open. They were red-rimmed and full of panic. 

In the entire time we’d been together, you’d never once looked as panicked as you did now. “JARVIS, get a lock on Killian. He doesn’t walk out of here alive.” I ordered as I reached out to cup your face. 

“Tony.” You whimpered, attempting a smile before your back arched off the table. 

“I’m here. I’m here. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m gonna get you out of this, alright? I’m gonna get you out.” 

I waited for you to nod at me before I set to work trying to get your straps off of you. Every time my fingers brushed your skin you winced as though I was stabbing you. 

“I’m gonna kill him. I’m gonna kill him.” I muttered under my breath, making short work of your binds. 

“Well that’s not a nice thing to say to the man who saved your lover’s life.” An all-too familiar voice sounded behind me. I spun around. 

Killian was standing next to the door, a calm smile plastered on his face. The one hand I’d managed to free from your binds reached out and gripped my arm. 

“Tony.” You whispered. 

“I know.” I whispered back. 

I took a step in front of you, blocking you from Killian’s twisted sight. I didn’t want him anywhere near you. “JARVIS?” I murmured. 

“Just a moment, sir.” He echoed back. 

“Leave now, and I’ll let you live.” I said firmly as I glanced at the man that had nearly ripped my world away from me. 

Killian laughed. 

“Tony . . .” You said louder. 

“You’ll LET me live? After I SAVED her?” He had the audacity to ask. 

“AFTER YOU KILLED HER TO BEGIN WITH!” I roared. 

“Still holding on to that, are you? You know, successful people don’t hold grudges, Tony. Look at me. I forgave you, didn’t I?” 

“Tony!” 

“I’m gonna kill you.” I vowed. 

Killian scoffed. “You . . .” He glanced over my shoulder and his eyes widened. “No!” He screamed, throwing himself out of the room. 

I whirled around. You were half slumped over the last of your binds. Your glow was so bright, I had to squint just to see your face. You gave me the saddest smile. “I’m sorry, Tony.” You whispered. 

I took a step towards you when suddenly, the suit formed around me just as the force of an explosion ripped through the office, tossing me through the metal walls like they were paper. JARVIS struggled to stabilize me, but I hit the ground with a dull thud and skid a few feet before the suit opened up and coughed me out, right before the electrics gave up the ghost entirely. 

“JARVIS?” I muttered quietly, hardly understanding what happened. “JARVIS?!” I demanded more frantically. A suit dropped out of nowhere and I threw myself in it. “What happened?” I demanded, launching back into the air and flying towards the burning remains of the office. 

A sadistic laugh sounded from the right and I spun around to see Killian . . . or what was left of him, stumble towards me. Most of his face was burned away leaving an eerie Two-Face effect. “Isn’t it obvious, Stark?” He asked, limping towards me. Fire erupted in his veins and I watched in horror as his body started to repair itself. I raised the gauntlet up and several small missiles locked into place. Though I was beginning to doubt they would have any effect. 

“Your sweet, darling, perfect little Caroline REJECTED EXTREMIS.” He sneered. 

No. No. You wouldn’t have. You were strong. So much stronger than the poison he’d forced into your veins. You’d come back from the dead before. You could come back from this. 

Killian glanced around, completely ignoring or completely unaware of the adrenaline shooting through my veins. 

“JARVIS?” I called out. 

“Sir . . . I’m not detecting any other life signs in the area.” He murmured. 

I threw up my other gauntlet and aimed both of them at Killian. “You’re going to pay for what you’ve done.” I threatened. 

Killian didn’t seem to care as he took a step towards me, fire in his veins and smirked. “I don’t think so.” 

He swung at me, landing a punch so hard that the suit was actually thrown building. For the second time in as many minutes, I hit the ground with a crack, leaving a suit shaped dent in the asphalt below. 

I glanced up in time to see Killian launch himself off the railing and jump down to the ground, landing in some perverted Superman pose in front of me. 

He pushed to his feet quickly before he stepped towards me. He cracked his neck as he taunted me. “You know, Tony. You really should have taken the job when I offered it. You could have stopped it.” 

“Tony! I got the president! We’re getting out of here!” Rhodey called into my comm. 

“Go!” I ordered. 

“We could have built something.” Killian continued, ignoring me completely as I aimed every last weapon I had at the bastard. 

“JARVIS, get me every last free suit. We’re going to light this sucker up.” I ordered. 

“I’m afraid the others are otherwise engaged at the moment, sir.” JARVIS said, fighting a dozen of his own battles. 

I turned my attention back to Killian and I raised my weapons. He drew fire into the palm of his hand and let it grow bigger and bigger as his eyes lit up with pure evil. 

I let every second of heartache, every ounce of pain, every moment of suffering I’d felt since I'd first watched you sink into the sea when Killian had destroyed our home to now and I focused it into a burning rage that fueled me so hard, I shook. 

“You should have killed me when you had the chance.” I grit out. 

I was just about to pull the trigger when a ROAR sounded through the night. 

Time seemed to freeze as every eye in sight turned to the top of the burnt wreckage of the building you’d exploded in. Standing in the wreckage, burning as bright as a star, was you. 

Your head was thrown back, your hair whipped around you with the force of your roar. Your hands were clenched in fists on either side of you. 

You’d never looked more wild. 

Your roar died off and your gaze narrowed in on Killian. MURDER filled your expression as you leapt off the balcony. My heart nearly slid out of my chest for the hundredth time today as you free fell five stories to the ground below. Fire shot off behind you giving you the illusion of having wings as you stalked closer to your tormentor. 

You didn’t hesitate for a second as you gripped his throat in your hand. You lifted him off his feet, ignoring him when he clawed at your arm. “You miscalculated.” You whispered, your voice hoarse and oddly echoey. You pulled Killian closer to you. “There’s always a bigger fish.” 

You squeezed tighter as you held him out again and then you took your other hand, one that was glowing bright and you slowly shoved it past Killian’s ribs, ignoring his screams as you gripped your hand around his heart and yanked. 

The light in Killian’s eyes stuttered and died as the bleeding heart in your hands went up in smoke. You dropped his body to the pavement with an eerie expression on your face. 

I pushed myself out of the suit and stood shakily. In just a day, I’d already lost you twice. I couldn’t lose you again. 

“Caroline?” I asked, stepping closer, hands raised on either side of my face. “Honey?” 

Your head shot up and your glowing eyes met mine. 

I expected you to glance at me, for your eyes to water, for you to remember who you were and for you to throw yourself into my arms. 

I didn’t expect you to stare at me like I was a stranger you didn’t recognize with a cold detached look gleaming in your eyes. 

I took another step closer but froze when a fireball formed in your hand. 

“Honey. It’s me. It’s Tony. Come back to me, baby." 

You stared at me for a long moment and for a second, I thought I saw something familiar flash in your eyes. 

Then, you turned on your heel and walked away into the night, leaving me just as alone as I’d started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said there were going to be consequences of her coming back to life?
> 
> Remember how I compared it to the Lazarus Pit in the DCU? 
> 
> Yeah . . . 
> 
> So for those of you who don't know, the Lazarus Pit in the DCU is a pit that can bring people back from the dead. It's under the control of the League of Assassin's (so you know it's a GREAT tool). A couple big people are actually brought back using it including Jason Todd one of Batman's Robins. However, the Lazarus Pit also has the teensy-tiny little side effect of not really restoring your humanity.
> 
> So.
> 
> There's that.
> 
> For those counting at home, that's now two times that Caroline's died in less than 24 hours and come back.
> 
> Tony has his work cut out for him.
> 
> But we also only have two chapters to go.
> 
> We're almost done!
> 
> Thanks for sticking through the irregular postings and the crap-ton of angst!
> 
> Hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.
> 
> Love you, and thanks for reading!


	18. Distance

I didn’t know how long I’d been walking. 

I didn’t even know what I was walking towards. 

The sun had come up a long time ago, but I hardly felt the heat as I just robotically continued putting one foot in front of the other. 

I thought that maybe I was somewhere south. Near an ocean maybe. 

I also thought that it didn’t matter. 

Nothing did. 

There was a distinct void in me where it felt like something SHOULD have been but wasn’t. 

There was something else there too. Every now and again it was flicker. A burning desire to kill would shoot through me. But then, just as quickly, it would flutter and go back to sleep. 

A part of me realized that I should be worried about that. 

A bigger part of me just couldn’t bring myself to care. 

And so, I walked. 

Hours or maybe it was days later, a noise broke me out of my numbness. I turned slowly as a dull sound echoed behind me. 

A man who’s face tickled at something in the back of my mind stepped out of a metal suit of armor. 

“Caroline.” He breathed. 

I didn’t respond to the name. It meant nothing. Just like everything else. 

He seemed to be waiting for something, but I didn’t have anything to offer. I turned and continued my destination-less trek. 

“Wait!” He called, racing forward to grip my arm. I stopped moving and turned to look at the hand clutching my bare bicep. Something about the touch . . . about the hand . . . it warmed the smallest fraction of my numb heart. 

The man raced to circle around me. His eyes were warm with concern as he glanced me over. He seemed to realize that he was still clutching almost painfully to my arm because he let it go with a sharp inhale. 

“Caroline.” He said again, ducking low to looking into my eyes. 

I stared back at him impassively. 

“Do you . . . do you remember me?” He asked slowly. 

I looked into his eyes and shook my head slowly. 

The man let out a shuddering breath and seemed to have to blink tears back too. He nodded to himself. 

“Hey. That’s okay. That’s alright. You . . . you’ve been through a lot.” 

That caught my attention. I glanced back up at him. 

He smiled encouragingly at the small display of emotion. “You know, I almost had this. A few years ago? I can fix it. If you want.” 

He held a hand out hesitantly. I stared at it blankly. 

“I won’t hurt you, Caroline.” He said softly, glancing up at me, but leaving his hand as an offering between us for me to take or leave as I saw fit. 

A part of me wondered what would happen if I walked away. Would he let me? 

Did I want to? 

“I’m never going to let anyone hurt you again.” He vowed firmly. 

Something in his voice made me glance at his face again. Unshed tears sat in his eyes which swam with a soul-deep pain I couldn’t begin to fathom. 

Something small and tired seemed to wake up in the back of my mind. “He’s safe.” It seemed to say. “He will protect you.” 

Then, as I hesitantly reached out and closed my fingers around his; “He loves you.” 

The man before me smiled a blinding smile and gently tugged me towards the suit of armor he’d abandoned. He climbed inside and held his arms out for me. I walked towards him and he gently swept me up in his metal-clad arms. 

It felt right. 

It felt safe. 

It felt like home. 

“Come on, Honey.” He said softly, glancing at me with something else now burning in his eyes. “Let’s go home.”


	19. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's POV

It had taken almost thirty-six hours to track you down after you’d disappeared from the docks. I’d been a wreck as I’d funneled every ounce of free everything into tracking you down. Reconfiguring JARVIS had only taken an hour and then all I’d been able to do was twiddle my thumbs and wonder if I’d destroyed you beyond recovery. 

Somethings broke and couldn’t be fixed. 

I would have never forgiven myself if you had been one of those things. 

Thirty-six hours was a long time for me to categorize all my sins. But it was enough for me to realize that you were right. You’d always been right. If I had just let you in from the beginning, none of this would have happened and you would have been by my side instead of who knew where, alone and afraid. 

After too long, lost in my own thoughts, JARVIS finally gave me the good news. 

“Sir, I believe I’ve found her.” He’d said. 

I was in the suit and shooting off towards your coordinates before he’d finished speaking. 

When I’d found you, you were barefoot. Your feet were bleeding, but you hardly seemed to notice as you kept trudging along, a painfully lost look painted on your face. Your eyes were haunted when I’d all but begged you to come back with me. 

For a brief second, I didn’t think you would. 

But once again, something seemed to light up your eyes and you’d willingly taken my hand in yours. 

I watched you from the other side of the glass. Helen Cho, and expert in the field of medicine, and someone I’d had my eye on for quite some team for the team, puttered around your bed, checking your IV’s and smoothing your blankets. 

You’d passed out at some point on the flight home and hadn’t woken up yet. Dr. Cho assured me there wasn’t anything to worry about despite the huge fever you were spiking. She said it was your body trying to burn the poison out of your system. 

I’d accepted her answer at face value, but I wasn’t capable of doing nothing. 

So, I’d gone to work. 

The formula I’d created and had Banner and Cho greenlight was as near-perfect an antidote to the poison in your system as I could cobble together. Dr. Cho had started you on a drip of it two days ago. 

She said you were burning it out of your system faster. 

But you still hadn’t woken up. 

“Any word?” A voice sounded behind me. 

I glanced back to see Rhodey looking in after you with a worried expression on his face. 

I shook my head. “Not yet. But she’ll be okay.” I said it just as much to reassure him as to reassure myself and I think we both knew it. 

“I’m sure she will.” He was quick to agree. “She has THE Tony Stark on her side.” 

I quirked a smile. “Always and forever.” I agreed. 

We were silent for a moment before I took a deep breath. “Not that I don’t love when you visit, buddy, but did you need something?” 

Rhodey shook his head. “Not personally.” He said. “Just wanted to tell you that Romanov called. She wanted me to inform you that JARVIS has locked her out of the building and is refusing her access. Said she wanted it fixed by tonight or you were going to get firsthand experience as to why she’s considered the best in her field.” 

I stifled a smile. “JARVIS did that, huh? That’s crazy. I’ll have to have a talk with him. Don’t know WHERE he would have gotten the idea from.” 

Maybe I would. 

Eventually. 

I was still mad at the little home-wrecker for trying to take Caroline away from me in the first place. 

Nat could break in. 

I dared her to try. 

Rhodey shook his head with a fond smile on his face. “They’re worried about her too, Tony. She’s just as much their family as she is yours.” 

With that last little tidbit of wisdom, Rhodey slapped me on the shoulder and once again disappeared into the tower. 

I stood frozen outside your hospital room for another hour, keeping an eye out for the slightest movement. Twice, I thought I saw a finger twitch, but nothing else happened. 

I rubbed my eyes. 

“Sir. Perhaps it’s time to retire for the night.” JARVIS said soothingly. 

“No. No. I want to be here in case she wakes up. I want her to see something familiar.” 

“With all due respect, sir. Based on the last interaction you had with her, you’re no longer a source of familiarity yourself.” 

“All the more reason to stay.” I argued. 

JARVIS was silent for a moment. Then; “You’ll do her no good if you’re dead on your feet, sir.” 

I grumbled bitterly under my breath. But he was right. “Fine. JARVIS. But wake me up the second she wakes up. Got it?” 

JARVIS hummed in agreement. 

A beeping sound woke me up. 

“Sir.” JARVIS said gently. 

I threw a hand up in the air. “What?” I grouched. 

JARVIS seemed amused. “Dr. Cho believes Miss Fremont is beginning to wake.” 

I threw myself out of bed and tripped as my legs tangled in the sheets. I jumped to my feet and ran down three flights of stairs to get to your hospital room. 

I skid to a stop in front of the window as Cho bent over your bed. She had one of your hands in hers. I watched in rapt attention as she muttered something to you quietly and your fingers curled in her grip. 

You were awake. 

I swallowed nervously and moved to the door, sliding it open gently. 

“Afternoon, doc.” I said, turning my attention immediately to you. “How’s the patient today?” 

Your eyelids fluttered at the sound of my voice and I dared to hope. 

Dr. Cho glanced down at you. “She’s doing well. Aren’t you Caroline?” She asked kindly. 

Your eyelids slowly opened and you smiled lazily. But didn’t respond. 

Dr. Cho puttered around you for a few minutes, asking you questions and testing your reflexes. You seemed to recall what year it was. You remembered your name. Your real name, not the name you’d adopted when you’d gone to work for SHIELD. You even seemed to remember how old you were. 

There was one thing that Dr. Cho didn’t ask, though. And it was the thing that most mattered to me. 

Dr. Cho gave me what I assumed was supposed to be a reassuring glance as she turned and walked out the door. I moved to sit by your bed. 

Your expression was guarded as your eyes followed my progress around your room. 

It killed me. 

“Hi.” I said gently, taking a seat. 

You smiled hesitantly back at me. 

I twiddled my thumbs in my lap as I glanced away from you. A part of me hoped that by the time I glanced back, all of this would have been a horrible dream and you’d be back to the woman I remembered. The one I needed. 

But life didn’t work that way. 

“Do you remember me?” I finally worked up enough courage to ask. 

You shook your head slowly. A flash of regret crossed your face, but it was gone too fast for me to be sure. “I’m sorry.” You whispered, reaching out a hand. 

I grasped it like a life-line as I shook my head. “No. No. You don’t need to be sorry. I . . . it’s my fault. What happened to you. It’s all my fault. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me.” 

You smiled at me sadly. “I . . . I don’t remember . . .” You started. “. . . But there’s something there. Like . . . like I can almost reach it.” 

My brow furrowed as I tried to understand what you were telling me. 

“We knew each other, yes?” You asked, glancing at me with a furrowed brow. 

I nodded quickly. 

“Will you tell me about it?” You asked sweetly. 

I brought your hand up to my lips and kissed your knuckles. “I would love to.” I said. 

And so I did. I told you about our lives together. The adventures we’d been on. The dangers we faced. I told you about the good times and the bad times. And more than anything else, I apologized for everything I’d ever done wrong. 

Early the next morning after you’d fallen asleep somewhere in between my story about how you’d saved my life at a gala and how I’d finally confessed my feelings for the first time, I slipped away. 

I quietly got into my car and drove. 

I didn’t have a destination in mind. 

I wasn’t surprised, though, when I ended up at the wreckage that had once been our home together. 

It felt like a lifetime ago that this part of my life had fallen apart. 

Looking back on it now, you could say it was foreshadowing. 

I climbed out of the car and puttered around the wreckage. Here and there I found a few tools or a few scraps that had somehow survived. 

I opened the car door and piled them inside, finding peace in the grunt work as I searched for anything else. 

A few hours into it and my fingers stumbled across one of the first screwdrivers I’d ever been given. 

In the wreckage of forgotten memories, and in the place that had once been home, I thought of you. 

My fingers closed tightly around the screwdriver and I walked back to the car. 

“JARVIS?” I asked, shutting myself in. 

My dash hummed to life. 

“Where did we end up on project Ultron?” I asked as I pulled away. 

“It was put on the backburner, sir.” 

“Yeah? Well, let’s dust it off. I think it’s time that Caroline and I settled down.” 

I flipped my sunglasses down and glanced at the burnt screwdriver in my hands. 

The past didn’t define us. We could have a new future if we wanted. And I’d be with you, every step of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Veeery curious to know what you guys thought of that ending.
> 
> Lemme know!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! And thanks for everyone who commented. Every comment absolutely makes my day.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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